Honor
by bby adorkable
Summary: COMPLETE! After seige of the north, aang and gang head for earth kingdom to learn earthbending. zuko is after them once again, but now, so is his sister, Zula. what happens when katara is rescued by the firebenders on zuko's ship?
1. A somber beginning

HEY EVERYONE! Ok, this is my very very first Avatar: last airbender fanfic, and I think it's a really … "clean" one. Not "clean" as in no bad words and stuff, but "clean" as in… the whole plot makes sense and it comes together in the end and there aren't any confusing new characters or weird things along the way.

Although… I love to ramble so you'll get to hear plenty of me talking and talking… like I am right now!

Well… I think I'm outta things to say for right now, so let's start with the story!

CHAPTER ONE – A SOMBER BEGINNING (hey, guess what! I'm making titles for all the chapters! Yay!)

The red haired teenager quickly pulled on her armor and stuck a dagger into its sheath. She stepped into her boots and walked out of the room, giving herself a smirk as she passed by the mirror. The guard outside her door bowed and murmured, "Princess" before stepping aside. The girl paid him no attention and quickened her pace, eager to get to her destination. She entered the fire lord's room and bowed.

"Ah, Zula, I see you're all set. Quick to be ready, unlike that brother of yours", the fire lord praised her.

"Thank you, father", she replied.

"Princess, your ship is ready", a guard who'd just entered announced. Zula nodded and followed the guard out to the docks. She boarded the large fire navy ship, ignoring her crew who all bowed respect to her.

"Get ready to leave", she ordered. The captain nodded and hurried away. Zula glanced around to make sure everyone was doing what they were supposed to, then disappeared into the cabins.

She strolled into her private room and sat down on the bed. Her Uncle Iroh had been deemed a traitor and her brother Zuko was a failure. It was up to her to bring honor to the fire kingdom. It was her duty to bring home the Avatar.

Katara looked back at the Northern water city and sniffed softly. She'd barely been there for a week, and now the memories were slowly fading away.

"Katara? You ok?" Aang asked, hading the reins to Sokka. The 12-year-old (or 112) avatar laid a hand on the waterbender's shoulder, trying to comfort her.

"C'mon Katara, we can visit them again", Sokka comforted his sister. Katara smiled sadly and turned to face her two companions.

"Thanks", she murmured.

The three travelers took turns handling the reins while the other two relaxed on Appa's soft fur. Occasionally, Momo the lemur would roll around, then fall asleep again.

"I'm hungry", Sokka said, breaking the silence.

"There's food in the bag over there", Katara replied, pointing to a brown sack. Sokka eagerly untied the strings and picked out an apple. He bit into it, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. Katara laughed and turned towards Aang.

"You want something to eat?" she offered. The avatar shook his head and made no reply. Katara frowned and crawled closer to the little boy (or old guy).

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"It feels like a storm is coming, and I don't see a place we can land on", Aang replied.

"How far away is the Earth kingdom?" Sokka asked.

"Four days form here", Katara replied, checking a scroll.

"It's alright, I'm sure Appa can find a safe place to land", Aang said when he saw the worried looks on his friends' face.

"Sokka, look for an island", Katara ordered, scanning the scrolled map in her hands. The water tribe warrior obeyed and climbed to one side, gripping his boomerang tightly.

The old man tilted back on the wooden barrel and sipped his tea thoughtfully, looking up at the sky. At this time, the sun shone brightest and firebenders on his ship took advantage of this to train. Iroh, once a great war general, now led a somewhat relaxed life. The only fighting he did was verbal, and they were simply arguments between his nephew and himself.

"Your stance is incorrect. You're bending to low", he coached. The teenager in front of him stood a litter taller and continued training. Iroh watched silently as his nephew pushed himself harder, training endlessly until new barriers could be broken. The time flew by and the retired general could see definite improvement.

"I believe that's enough for today. Rest, Zuko, then join me for some tea", he said. Prince Zuko nodded and left the deck, paying no attention to his crew members. Iroh smiled to himself and enjoyed the sunset. Out at sea, the sky and ocean blended together during a sunset. Both the air and water were several shades of pink and purple with just a hint of orange. It was a beautiful sight, just like the beautiful things in life.

Katara looked far ahead and grew extremely worried. Although the sky around them was clear and graced with a gorgeous sunset, dark clouds were gathering in the distance.

"C'mon, fly faster", Sokka urged the flying bison, gripping the reins tightly.

"You can't rush Appa. He's getting tired", Aang explained, stroking Momo who was sitting on his lap.

"Are you sure there's no where to land?" Sokka asked.

"This map shows no islands along the way! Besides, you've checked and haven't found an island", Katara replied. Aang sagged against a sleeping bag and frowned. He had been so excited about going to the Earth Nation! Now, a storm was hindering them. Maybe he could use airbending to move the storm!

"That's too dangerous", Katara said after the avatar had told her of his plan.

"But it means we can cover more distance!" Aang argued.

"I say we let him do it", Sokka agreed. Katara sighed and wished her friend luck as he flew off.

"Princess, we are now out at sea. Is there any specific location you wish to go to?"

"Head for the Earth kingdom. I suspect the avatar needs to learn Earthbending next. Don't stop by any ports unless we run out of supplies", Zula commanded. The soldier bowed and left the girl alone. She looked out the window and grimaced. A sunset. It was one of the few things that brought her brother happiness. One of the few things that disgusted her. She drummed her fingers impatiently against the windowsill.

_I can't wait to get to the Earth Kingdom._ She thought, an evil smile creeping onto her face. The princess had full confidence she could easily capture the avatar and bring him home. After all, if Zuko failed, his younger sister would surely succeed.

Katara let out a sigh of relief when she spotted Aang flying towards her, gripping tightly onto his glider.

"How'd it go?" she asked.

"Well, I couldn't airbend the clouds away, but I spotted an island!" Aang replied. He took control of the reins and guided Appa forward.

"Is the island nearby? I think the storm is approaching", Katara said nervously.

"Don't worry, we'll get there", Aang assured her. Appa sped up and his passengers clung on, hoping everything would be alright.

The storm clouds came nearer and it began to drizzle.

"We have to fly closer to the ground!" Katara called out. Aang nodded and Appa descended.

"I see it!" Sokka pointed to his left, yelling excitedly. The island was covered with jagged mountains and few trees. A small sandy beach lay on one end of the island and a forest on the other.

"C'mon, c'mon! We're almost there!" Aang muttered, urging Appa on. The storm clouds were now directly overhead and rain was pounding down on the travelers. The waves below them crashed with a thundering boom and Sokka could hear his heart pounding. He saw tensely in his seat, one hand holding onto the side, the other around his boomerang.

Lightning flashed in the sky and a few seconds later, thunder roared its mighty roar. The intense weather conditions frightened Appa and he lurched to one side. Katara was thrown off the back of the bison and she plunged into the icy water below.

"Katara!" Sokka climbed over the edge and prepared to jump, but Aang pulled him back.

"Sokka! If you jump, who'll save you?"

"But Katara fell! She's in the water! I've got to protect her!" Sokka protested.

"Sokka, listen to me. To protect Katara, you have to be safe! Now help me land Appa and we can go look for her", Aang directed. Sokka glanced at the water one last time, then agreed.

Katara felt herself float to the surface and she took a deep breath before the waves pulled her under once more. Her heavy fur coat kept her from floating and she quickly pulled it off. The cold water pierced her sin and her body began shaking involuntarily. She swam towards the direction where she guess the island would be, taking deep breaths whenever she could. The waves worked against her, causing water to rush over her head.

In a moment, the young waterbender was pushed under water. She struggled to breath and took a big breath when she reached the surface. Katara plunged under the water and kicked furiously, holding on to what was left of her life. She could fell herself lose the struggle as wave after wave pushed her down. She got a mouthful of water and began coughing, spitting out the salty liquid.

Soon, he vision became cloudy and she was no longer aware of her surroundings. Katara's eyes slowly closed as she sank deeper into the water.

SO… how was that for the first chapter? I though it was pretty good, but I'm very open to suggestions! Please please please please review, cuz it'll make me feel better, which will make me update faster, which means you can read! Yay!

Oh yeah, one question… please answer this : do you guys like the story to be with mostly focused on Zuko and Katara? Or do you want me to include a lot of what Aang and Sokka and Zula is doing? Cuz it was supposed to be a romance… but I'd much rather my readers were happy :


	2. Reluctant

Updation time! I've gotten some complaints about not having something to separate two different scenes. Actually, when I typed the story, I **did** have these lines to separate them… but they disappeared. Which is really weird. But I'll try using different ones this time and hope it works.

Thanks for the reviews!

Note : as of now, the plot might seem kinda clichéd… you know, girl likes guy, guy likes girl… but it won't be that way

I PROOFREADED! YAY!

CHAPTER TWO – RELUCTANT (kinda a weird title… but if you think about it, it **kind of **matches this chapter)

Appa shook violently as thunder crashed once more. Aang spotted a flat landing on top of one of the mountains and guided the bison in that direction. They crash landed and Sokka tumbled on to the grass.

Aang turned to see if his companion was alright and let out a gasp at what he saw. Sokka's face, once filled with joy and child-like wonder, now had a seriousness Aang had never seen. The teenager's arm was bleeding and a few drops escaped onto the ground. Paying no attention to his injuries, Sokka started limping towards the water.

"Sokka! Wait! She was on the other side of the island", Aang yelled, running after him. Sokka made no reply, but turned in the opposite direction. The avatar caught up to him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Sokka, you can't just rush off the find Katara. We'd both drown in this storm! Sokka! Listen to me! We have to heal Appa first. Then, when the storm passes, I can use my waterbending and we can find her. Sokka! Are you listening to me?"

Sokka paused in his steps and turned to Aang, a defeated look on his face.

"What if she drowned already?"

"No, you can't say that! Katara's a waterbender, remember? She can take care of herself", Aang replied. Sokka reluctantly nodded and followed Aang back to Appa.

insert change of scene here +

Retired General Iroh pushed open the door that led out to the deck, then slammed it shut instantly. The huge storm outside brought water, and water was an enemy of fire.

"Sir! We've spotted a person!" one of the crew called out. Iroh stepped outside again and ordered the person to be brought on board. Several firebenders fought the wave and rescued the girl floating lifelessly in the ocean. They hauled her on deck and laid her on the floor. Her simple blue outfit clung to her body, soaked with water. Her hair lay in a tangled pile, a few strands across her face.

"Is she breathing?"

"Listen for a heartbeat!"

"We don't know how long she's – "

"Give her some room!" Iroh ordered. The men quickly stepped aside as the old man approached the girl. "Ah", he mused quietly, "this is a friend of the avatar".

A wave of murmurs rose among the crew, but Iroh shushed them quickly. "Bring her the spare room… never mind, I'll do it", he changed his mind, not trusting the men with something as valuable as this. Iroh knew this girl could provide important information for his nephew, which meant she had to be treated with care.

sort of a scene change +

Zuko stepped warily out of the shower, a dark red towel wrapped loosely around his waist. He held up his hands and a ball of fire formed, drying him off immediately. After dressing in a fresh set of armor, he walked down the hall and almost got ran over by Iroh.

"Uncle! Where are you going?" Zuko asked suspiciously.

"I was looking for you. I want to show you something you will be interested in".

"Fine, uncle. Let's go", Zuko rolled his eyes. The pair walked down the hall and turned the corner.

"Uncle, did you do something to my room?" Zuko asked, recognizing the path they were taking.

"No, no. This is not about your room at all", Iroh replied. To prove his point, he walked right pass the door leading to Zuko's room and instead, pushed open the one directly next to it.

"I think you'll find this quite useful for capturing the avatar", Iroh commented, a mischievous twinkle dancing around in his eye. Zuko glared at him and stepped inside, his face remaining neutral at the sight of Katara.

"You wanted to show me a girl?" he asked, slightly confused.

"Do you know who she is?" Iroh questioned.

"Someone who doesn't concern me", Zuko replied roughly.

"She travels with the avatar, do you not recognize her?" Iroh asked. Zuko looked closer at the girl lying almost lifelessly on the bed. Her face was ghostly white and she had a pained expression on her face. Nevertheless, she looked familiar.

"Where did you find her?" Zuko asked, examining the waterbender.

"Why, she was in the water", Iroh replied.

"She's no use while she's asleep. I'll question her later, maybe use her as bait", Zuko thought out loud. Iroh nodded and the two firebenders left the room.

Katara did no wake up until the next day. It was around noon when she slowly opened her eyes. Her strange surrounding confused her and she tried to remember what had happened earlier. Sitting up in the bed, Katara noticed the dark colors around her. A red blanket lay across her knees and the walls were red as well. She pulled herself out of bed and tried to stand up. When she was sure she could support her own weight, Katara began walking towards the door.

The ship gave a sudden lurch and she fell to the ground with a yelp. Almost immediately, her door banged open and Zuko hurried inside. He had been in his room (which is next door) and heard the noise. His suspicious judgment caused him to believe the girl was trying to escape and he couldn't afford to let such important bait run away.

Katara recognized the banished prince immediately and she back away instinctively.

"Where's Aang?" she asked, hoping the Avatar had not been captured.

"I was going to ask the same question", Zuko replied smoothly.

"H-he's not here?" Katara asked, her eyes widening. How did she get separated? The prince let out a low chuckle, amused by the fact that this girl had no idea what'd happened. "Why did you capture me? I though you were after – "

"What makes you think you've been capture?" Zuko asked with a smirk. Katara thought about his words for a moment and looked around. She was in a comfortable room with a bed and food. There weren't any ropes binding her arms and no one had tried to hurt her so far.

"Then why am I here?" Katara asked, still unable to recall the storm.

"My uncle rescued you from the waters", Zuko explained, a slight tone of impatience present in his voice. He wanted to ask this lowly peasant some questions, then leave to go training. She was wasting his time!

"Waters? Was – "

"Stop asking stupid questions!" Zuko suddenly yelled, his temper flaring. Katara sensed a raise in the room temperature and she backed away nervously. "Look, I have limited time. I'll ask the questions, you answer them", he ordered. Katara nodded, afraid to respond otherwise.

"What's your name?"

"Katara"

"How do you know the avatar?"

"We- we're friends"

"Where is he right now?"

"I- I don't know", Katara answered honestly. She did know where Aang was heading, but she had no clue where he was right now.

"Where were you guys planning to go?"

"Why would I tell you that?" Katara dared to say.

"Because you have no choice. I am the prince and you are a peasant", Zuko replied smugly.

"Prince? You call yourself a prince? More like a spoiled, arrogant jerk! If you're a prince, then where's your kingdom?" Katara regretted those words immediately, for the room grew even warmer as Zuko balled his fists in anger.

"That's not your concern!" he yelled.

"And Aang isn't yours! Why don't you go home and leave us alone?" Katara yelled back. Zuko let out a growl and flamesshot out of his hands. Katara jumped back to avoid being burned, but he went after her, swinging a fist angrily. The waterbender spotted a tub of water in the corner and called it to her. She fashioned it into a whip and fought back fearlessly, dodging each fiery blow. With a wave of her hands, Katara brought the water down in icicles all around Zuko. He flared up the fire and melted them into a puddle.

The two continued in a fierce battle until Zuko backed Katara into a wall. She splashed water over his head, putting out the flames for a second. As she was about to escape, Zuko slammed his palms against the wall, trapping Katara between his arms.

She scooted away until her back was pushed tightly against the wall. He startling blue eyes met his dark golden ones and although she tried to look away, he had captured her gaze. For a second, Katara thought shesaw sadness in his eyes, but if it had been there at all, it was quickly chased away by anger. She stayed frozen in her spot, unsure of what to do. She knew she couldn't attack because he could fry her in a second. Could she try talking to him? No, that'd just make things worse.

Zuko inched closer to her, lifting one hand to form a ball of fire. At that moment, he wanted to kill her more than anything. He moved even closer until he could see clearly every eyelash surrounding her large eyes. Slowly, the urge to kill slipped away and he felt a need to … kiss her? What the – ?

He tried to push these thoughts out of his mind, but they fought back. He had to admit she was very pretty. Not beautiful or gorgeous, just pretty. It was a very plain type of prettiness, too. Nothing glamorous or sophisticated. She was almost… cute. He unconsciously leaned closer until his warm body was pressed against her cooler one. The fire in his hand still burned, but the urge to capture her lips in his burned even more. Going along with his instincts (and hormones), Zuko brought his lips to meet hers. They barely brushed against each other before self-control kicked in and the firebender pulled away.

He stepped back and gave her a long, hard stared before turning towards the door. If Zuko had felt award about what he'd just tried to do, he now felt like a complete idiot. Iroh was leaning against the door and by the look on his face, he'd been there for a while. Zuko ignored him the best he could and right before he stepped out of the room, he turned to Katara and answered, "Because I can't".

A/N : and that was chapter two! Review please.


	3. Don't pity me

Hey. New chapter for everyone. I haven't updated in a while cuz of finals, and even though they're over now, I'm in a really bad mood. But… here goes.

CHAPTER THREE – DON'T PITY ME

"So, when will Appa be able to fly again?" Sokka asked.

"I don't know. His injuries are worse than I expected. He can barely walk", Aang replied, sounding distressed.

"Well, I'm not going to sit around and wait", Sokka announced. The two travelers had slept uncomfortably at night, then tended to Appa during the morning. It was now late afternoon and Sokka grew impatient.

"Sokka, I'm worried about Katara too, but we have no choice", Aang said sadly.

"I know. I just wish there was something I could do instead of sitting around", Sokka said.

"We could practice fighting. That way, you can protect Katara better next time", Aang said excitedly.

"You're right. And if anyone tries to harm any of us, I'll beat them up, then steal their food!" Sokka jumped up. He smiled a happy smile for the first time that day and the sad mood quickly lifted.

Sokka and Aang raced each other to a clearing where they began a spar.

change of scene + (still can't figure out how to put a line here)

That boy has quite a temper, doesn't he?" Iroh asked, an amused smile on his face.

Katara nodded shyly.

"Don't mind him. Now, are you hungry?" Iroh asked again.

A growl from Katara's stomach answered the question and Iroh laughed heartily (like Santa!) He brought her food and they ate together. After about an hour of random chatting, the topic of Zuko was finally touched.

"You two must have had quite a fight", Iroh commented, looking around the room. Scorch marks were visible all over the walls and several chairs had been overturned. The floor contained many little puddles as well as holes. Katara looked over at the wall and saw the burned imprint of two palms.

"I'm sorry", she apologized, unsure of why she did so.

"Why?" Iroh seemed to wonder the same thing.

"I- I guess, for the fight. I mean, this room looks like it's been through a storm", Katara gave a small smile.

"Yes, well, that's alright", Iroh dismissed the idea.

"May I ask, why Zuko's temper is so… so…" Katara couldn't find the right words to describe this, but Iroh understood.

"Well, it began in his childhood. He dishonored his father and therefore, had to duel him. But Zuko thought he was going to fight an old general. Of course, to be dueling the fire lord is like facing death, so Zuko pleaded mercy".

"Is that how he got the scar?" Katara asked.

"Yes. His father gave him the scar, then banished him until he returned with the avatar".

"So that's why he's always after Aang. Isn't there another way?" Katara wondered, sipping her tea.

"I suspect the fire lord does not favor Zuko being heir. You see, Zuko was sent to capture the avatar before he even reappeared. His father gave him an impossible task", Iroh replied.

"But no father should act this way!" Katara protested.

"The fire lord has… unique ideas about how his children should be brought up. It's not easy being prince", Iroh said patiently.

"It must be so horrible for Zuko. I feel so – "

"I don't need your pity", a rough voice interrupted. Zuko reentered the room and stood with his arms crossed. He glanced at Katara quickly before turning to Iroh, "Uncle. I need you to prepare me for fights, not go around telling people my personal life stories".

"You know, Prince Zuko, it's very rude to interrupt", Iroh chided in a playful voice.

"It-it's alright. You can go train with him if you want", Katara murmured.

"Yes, **if** I want", Iroh chuckled. Zuko gave his uncle a glare and the old man stood up. "I need to us the restroom first. But, we're having a little spar today. Zuko, would you be so kind as to show Katara where we will be going? I'm sure she'd be interested in watching", he said smugly, knowing that even though he gave in to Zuko and agreed to train, the retired general won their little game in the end.

Iroh stepped out of the room with a smirk, leaving behind a silent Zuko and Katara. Neither of the teenagers knew what to say, so they both kept quiet. Finally, after glancing quickly at Katara, Zuko gave her a simple order, "Follow me".

She obeyed and walked after him down the hall. They reached a pair of large doors with an intricate design of fire carved upon it. A strange piece of metal held the doors shut and when Zuko placed his hands over it, the doors swung open. Katara gave a small gasp of surprise and Zuko smirked, amused that the door startled her.

Inside was a large room, so large in fact, that Katara was surprised the ship could hold all this. The floor was composed of dark red tiles that matched the bare walls. The room was empty except for a bench in one corner.

"Sit", Zuko said in a low voice. Katara did as she was told and waited on the bench for something to happen. And something did.

The waterbender watched in fear and amazement as Zuko walked into the center of the room. He began doing a complex set of movements, shooting fire out of his hands. The flames bounced off the walls and disappeared, leaving a thin pile of soot on the floor.

Katara shifted uneasily in her seat as she watched Zuko train. He frightened her and she had a strange feeling he would suddenly attack her. There was no water in the room, which made Katara feel worse.

On top of that, the room was growing warmer at an alarmingly intense rate. Katara, who was used to cold water and houses made of ice, felt stuffy and a little light-headed

She noticed that the doors were closed, which meant the same warm air was circulating in the room. _I can't take much more of this_. She thought to herself.

As if on cue, the doors creaked open and a gust of cool air rushed in. Iroh stepped into the room looking refreshed.

"Took you long enough", Zuko greeted him.

"I'm old now, and not as fast as I used to be", Iroh joked. Zuko rolled his eyes at the lame comment and Katara suppressed a laugh. The two firebenders bowed to each other, then took their stances. Katara watched in awe as they sparred gracefully, moving so fast she could only see glimpses of them in the midst of the flames. Even with a limited view of the duel, Katara could tell that Zuko was a great bender and she secretly hoped she could fight him one day and win.

An hour passed by faster than expected and soon a second one had come and passed. Katara was still fascinated by fire bending, even though she knew how much damage it could do. What surprised her was the she wasn't the least bit bored. She figured this was because the two skilled firebenders in front of her had turned destruction into art.

Still, no matter how nicely displayed each flame was, fire was still fire. And if you play with fire, you get burned. Katara knew this and apparently, so did Zuko. When a stray flame bounced off the walls and rammed into his back, there was a pained expression on the prince's face. Pain, but not shock.

Although he expected to get injured eventually, nothing could have prepared Zuko for the pain. He'd been attacked many times by other opponents, but it hurt much more when your own attack hits you.

He fell to the ground in a strangled pile and both Iroh hand Katara hurried to his side. They each took an arm and pulled him towards his room as the injured firebender slipped into unconsciousness. The last thing on Zuko's mind before he faded into darkness was the he didn't want a waterbender peasant to see him in such a weak condition.

another change of scene +

"What are you doing? Stop climbing oh- gah – stop! Why are you climbing on my head? Wh- Aang! Stop- mmph", Sokka's complaints were muffled by the Avatar who had suddenly dragged him into the bushes and pushed him onto the ground. Apparently, he was hiding from something or someone.

Aang let go of Sokka once he stopped struggling and they both peeked out from behind a large bush.

"That's a fire Navy ship", Aang whispered.

"Not just any ship; it's Zuko's ship", Sokka argued.

"No… it looks like his ship, but it doesn't feel like it", Aang replied.

"Doesn't feel like it? Are you crazy? That looks exactly like Zuko's ship!" Sokka said, raising his voice. Aang quickly shushed him and continued looking out at the large vessel.

"Do you think Katara's on that ship? They might have found her", Aang observed.

"If she is, we have to go rescue her", Sokka said bravely. He was about to stand up when Aang dragged him back onto the grass.

"How can you be sure she's there?"

"I'm not. Katara's my sister and I have to protect her. You coming?" Sokka asked, a hint of determination in his voice. Aang agreed and they hurried back to Appa.

change scene +

Katara and Iroh sat in an uneasy silence as they watched over Zuko's unconscious form. Katara was surprised that a simple blast could knock out the prince so easily, but Iroh explained that an attack coming from a certain person will do more damage on that person himself than it would do on enemies. (I just made that up. Who'd actually attack themselves?)

A few more minutes of silence passed by before a guard burst into the room looking slightly flustered. "There's a ship outside, sir". He announced to Iroh. Katara looked up worriedly but Iroh gave her a comforting smile.

He left the room shortly, leaving Katara alone with the unconscious prince. She took advantage of this time to study the room she was in. It was obviously made for royalty. There were dark silk sheets laying across a comfortable bed. A wall scroll containing the fire nation emblem hung beside the bed. Across the room was a desk-like dresser with meditation candles burning lightly.

Katara turned her attention to the wall across the door and saw a pair of crossed blades displayed proudly upon another wall scroll. She walked closer, examining the finely carved blades.

During this time, Zuko had stirred slightly, then regained consciousness. He tried to sit up but a sharp pain seared through his back, causing him to let out a groan. Katara whirled around and hurried to her spot beside the bed.

"Are you ok?" she asked, feeling sorry for the prince.

"Get off! I don't need you to care", Zuko said harshly, shoving her away.

"But you obviously need my help", Katara replied smartly as she watched the struggling prince.

"Fine. Help me sit up", Zuko ordered. Katara glared at him angrily but her expression softened when she remembered what Iroh had told her. She pulled Zuko into a sitting position, thinking about a way she could help him. He looked like he was in pain, and she whished she could take that pain away.

Wait, she could heal him! Katara found some water and shaped it into a glove around her hand.

"Take off your shirt", she directed.

"Why?" Zuko asked suspiciously.

"I can heal you. Take off your shirt", Katara repeated. Zuko reluctantly complied, grumbling under his breath. His body went rigid when she first laid her palm against it, but he easily relaxed as she stroked his skin comfortingly. The sharp sting of the wound faded away and this surprised the prince.

He looked at Katara as she bended away the water and wondered if he had an attraction to her. Maybe not an attraction. Maybe he was fascinated by her simply because she was different. But, it didn't matter. He wasn't planning on admitting anything anyways.

Katara caught him staring and crossed her arms, asking in a sarcastic voice, "What? Am I really that ugly?"

"Yes", Zuko replied smoothly. He didn't mean it, but it would be fun to see the girl's reaction.

"Well, if I'm ugly, then you're too hideous to be seen", Katara retorted. She had said it as a simple joke, but it struck Zuko in a soft spot. He immediately thought of his scar and he took it very seriously. So seriously, in fact, that he'd injured several people who had asked him about it.

"Take that back", he said coldly.

"No".

"Take it back!"

"Why? It's not like I stole your good looks and made you ugly", Katara said.

"You wouldn't know how it feels to be stolen from", Zuko said quietly, talking mostly to himself.

"Why wouldn't I? I've had plenty of things stolen from me", Katara said dryly, sitting down on the bed.

"I'm not talking about material things", Zuko said, sounding annoyed. Katara gave him a confused look. "Everything I valued was taken away from me. My throne. My country. My honor".

"And if you captured Aang, you could have it all back?" Katara asked.

"Yes", Zuko replied, hoping Katara would turn in the Avatar.

"That's selfish. You'd sacrifice a person for you own benefit? You just want power", Katara said, sounding disappointed.

"It's not about power! It's about honor! **My** honor!"

"Life isn't all about honor! What about other people? It's not all about yourself!"

"You wouldn't understand what it means to have honor, seeing that you have none", Zuko yelled. They continued a verbal battle until it eventually evolved into a fight.

"I shouldn't have healed you! I thought you were more than just a selfish jerk!" Katara yelled, sending a blast of water towards Zuko's head.

"So is that why you helped me?" he asked, shooting fire at the water.

"No! I .pitied. you." Katara spat angrily. This wasn't all that true, but she figured it would anger him even more. The fight became more intense until both teenagers were injured and bleeding badly.

Once again, Iroh arrived at the right time. He quickly stopped the fight and made both benders sit down.

"What happened to you, uncle?" Zuko asked. Katara also noticed that Iroh was slightly injured and looked worn out.

"There was a fire navy messenger ship. Several soldiers demanded to see you, but I held them off. Anyways, they just wanted to deliver this to you", Iroh explained, handing Zuko a rolled up scroll tied with a red ribbon.

He unrolled the parchment and scanned it quickly. Katara backed away when she saw the anger in his eyes. She'd done the right thing, for the message exploded into flames as Zuko seethed in anger.

"What did it say?" Iroh asked cautiously.

"He sent that bitch of a sister to capture the avatar".

A/N : you like? Well… I like! Please please please review cuz or else I end up feeling like I did a loser job on the story.


	4. Captured

SORRY I didn't update in a while, but here's the next chapter.

Disclaimer : hey, guess what? It looks like I've forgotten the disclaimer in the last three chapters… I think. Anyways… its not like I own anything so who cares?

CHAPTER FOUR – CAPTURED

For the next two days, neither Zuko nor Katara saw or spoke to each other. He was locked up in his room meditating and she spent her time giving Iroh company. The old general and the young water bender had become good friends.

At night, while she lay in her warm bed on the fire nation ship, Katara did a lot of thinking. She constantly thought of Aang and her brother. Where were they? Were they safe? Were they looking for her? At times, she thought of the people sharing a ship with her. The crew members treated her like royalty and always enjoyed her presence. Iroh love talking with her and telling her stories. The only person who didn't seem too happy was Zuko.

But Katara quickly dismissed the idea. She figured the prince was just weird and she didn't care for his presence. She did feel bad for him at times, but his attitude annoyed her and she eventually convinced herself that he deserved to suffer. In the end, Katara decided she didn't really care. Zuko was someone she could tolerate, and that was that. She wouldn't give it another thought.

On the other hand, Zuko had become infatuated with the waterbender. She intrigued him in a way no one else had ever done. There was just something about her that attracted him, though he couldn't think of what it was.

During his meditating hours, Zuko found himself often distracted by thoughts of Katara. He thought this annoying, but couldn't help admitting that he enjoyed it. He would sit around with a blank expression while he daydreamed, and then feel disgusted afterwards.

Three full days passed before Zuko and Katara came into contact again. She was walking to her room after a quick shower and he had just returned from training. Not yet seeing the prince, Katara hummed quietly to herself while drying off her hair with waterbending. She left drops of water on the floor and Zuko saw this as an excuse to talk to her.

"You're dripping water all over my floor", he announced, startling her. Katara decided she didn't feel like arguing so she apologized and bended away the water. Zuko wanted to say something else; anything to make conversation, but his mind had gone blank.

Katara ignored him and walked into her room, closing the door politely behind her. Her room, the same one she'd started out in, was now in a much better condition. During her spare time, Katara had fixed up the walls and put everything back in place. She figured she had nothing better to do and she knew she would be here for a while.

What confused her was that instead of panicking and tying to escape like she imagined she would, Katara found herself enjoying life on the ship. She now knew that not all firebenders were ruthless; just the fire lord. Still, she missed her brother and Aang greatly and hoped to see them very soon.

Where was the ship headed anyways? Normally, Zuko and his crew caught up with the avatar every few days (or once during each episode XD) before losing track of him again. Katara found it strange that she hadn't seen Aang for a while. Did Zuko give up after finding out his sister had taken up the job? Katara made a mental note to ask Iroh about it later. Or maybe now.

A knock sounded at the door and moments later, Iroh and Katara were sitting at a table drinking tea.

"I was wondering if you'd join us for music night", Iroh said.

"That sounds fun. When is it?" Katara asked politely.

"Tonight, of course!" Iroh replied with a smile.

"I'll do my best to attend", Katara agreed.

"It's a lot of fun, you know? No one seems to appreciate my old traditions anymore", Iroh seemed to be talking to himself, for he had a dreamy expression on his face.

"Um, I was wondering… where is this ship headed?" Katara asked.

"Huh? Oh. To be honest, I'm not really sure. Prince Zuko hasn't given any orders lately. But, I've checked the map and I believe it's safe to say we are heading in the direction of the Earth Kingdom. I think we are stopping along a port today to gather some supplies. I love shopping, you know?It's too bad music night will take placebefore we get there, or we could get you something nice to wear! Maybea nice dress or something!I bet -"

"Earth Kingdom? That's where Sokka and Aang should be heading! Maybe I'll run into – wait… Why the Earth Kingdom?" Katara suddenly asked. She felt worried that Zuko would bring danger to the innocent people.

"It is common knowledge that the next element the Avatar must master is Earth. Thus, Zuko found it logical to go to the Earth Kingdom. I do remember him mentioning Earthbending a while ago…" Iroh trailed off thoughtfully.

"So, we're going to the Earth Kingdom", Katara confirmed. A part of her felt eager to return to Aang and Sokka, but a part of her felt reluctant to leave the ship. She'd definitely gotten attached and knew that she'd miss the new friends she'd made.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Zula tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and rolled up her sleeves. Time to get to work. She was bent over a large map lying on a wooden table. Surrounding her were advisors, guards, servants, and crew members.

"Let's see… there's a port on the Southern end of the Earth Kingdom. A fire nation ship won't be welcome, so we dock at this island and take smaller boats to the mainland", she instructed. The men around her nodded and murmured in agreement.

"Princess, what about the avatar?" an advisor asked.

"The next element he has to master is earth, so we're pretty close. There are several islands between the northern water tribe and the earth kingdom. He could be on any of them, or he may already be in the earth kingdom. We start with the nearest island and check all of them on the way to the mainland", Zula decided.

"We can't stop at each island. Our supplies are running low, a second advisor spoke up.

"Fine. We get the supplies and then check the island. Watch the skies; he could be traveling by air", Zula rolled up the map and dismissed herself, leaving the men to talk amongst themselves.

She walked down a long corridor that led to a hatch door which opened to the deck. As Zula climbed the stairs, she allowed her mind to wander. Although she loved her task of capturing the avatar, she couldn't stand the people on her ship. Not only were they all men who rarely took baths and loved to drink, but they were also airheads.

Most of them were recruited for strength. There were three advisors who were somewhat intelligent, but they were also stubborn and annoying. Zula longed to have a companion on the ship. Not just a companion, but a friend.

She realized she couldn't truly call anyone her "friend" anymore. Not even anyone at home. When she was younger, Zula had many friends. But, that was before her prodigal fire bending skills were discovered. Since then, her father forced her to train day and night. He wanted her to be the best, and even then, he wanted her to be better.

Zula pushed these bitter thoughts out of her mind as she opened the small door. She hoisted herself onto the deck and took a deep breath of fresh air. It was clean and comforting and cleared her thoughts.

The princess pulled off her outer layer of armor and walked to a large empty space outside on the deck. She began doing different stances, shooting fire out of her palms. Occasionally, she's kick her leg out, allowing a long stream of fire to blow into the sky.

While concentrating on her training, she still managed to catch sight of a large bison flying towards the ship. Zula immediately recognized the avatar since she'd seen many wanted posters hanging in the palace. But who was the other guy?

The bison landed and both males jumped off. They stood on either side of Zula, eyeing her cautiously. Without hesitation, she lunged towards Aang and tackled him to the ground. Sokka flung his boomerang across the open space and it rushed towards Zula's head. She lifted a hand and shot out fire, defending herself from the sharp blade.

This momentary distraction allowed Aang to jump to his feet. He brought his hands together and created a sudden rush of wind, knocking Zula off her feet. She slipped back and hit the side of the ship with a dull thud.

Aang hurried forward with Sokka's boomerang, placing it against the firebender's neck. He watched her hands carefully, making sure to note any sudden movements.

"I told you this wasn't Zuko's ship", Aang murmured to Sokka as he walked closer.

"Zuko?" Zula's eyes widened at the sound of her brother's name

"If you ask me, it looks like Zuko turned into a girl", Sokka scoffed. It was true, this girl resembled the fire prince greatly.

"Where's Katara?" Aang asked, ignoring Sokka's comment.

"What?" Zula looked confused.

"Katara! Teenage girl, brown hair, tan skin, blue clothes… no?" Sokka asked, sounding disappointed.

"She wasn't here", Aang said softly. He was saddened by this news and loosened his grip on the boomerang. Zula noticed this with a smirk and kicked him out of the way. Sokka backed away as Zula and Aang became engaged in a battle. His fierce winds mixed with her flaming fires caused smoke to fill the sky.

Sokka could see little of what was going on, but he was aware of a door flying open behind him. He hurried to Appa and ordered the bison to fly away. "C'mon, you can rescue us later! If you get captured too, there's no hope left!"

Appa managed to fly away safely as the crew filed out of the door. Several guards grabbed Sokka and tied him together, but no one interfered with Aang and Zula's battle. They watched silently as the two benders battled each other, neither gaining the advantage.

"This is taking too long! She's obviously unable to captured the avatar by herself!" A voice yelled out. It belonged to one of the advisors who used to be a general. He was very proud of himself and thought most people to be unworthy. The advisor joined the battle and caught Aang from behind. He quicklygrabbed the avatar's hands and dragged him away.

Zula, shocked for a moment that anyone would dare interfere, tore after them, yelling angrily. She yanked Aang away from the advisor and pulled the boy onto the lower deck where he was tossed into a small room. He landed in a heap on the floor and started at Zula, not making a sound. She looked back at him and spoke softly, "That's it, then? A little kid with a few airbending tricks? How **did** you manage to escape Zuko so many times? But then again, he was never capable of doing much".

"It wasn't a fair fight! You had someone else capture me when I was distracted!" Aang protested.

"Do you really think I wanted someone else to help me?" Zula scoffed.

"What?" Aang was confused. Didn't this girl want to capture him? Well, she did. So why was she still mad?

"It doesn't matter anyways. I've got you locked up", Zula shrugged. She stared at Aang a little longer before walking away.

A/N: hmmm… what will they do? Anyways, I'll really really really try to update faster. Hey, does anyone know when there will be new avatar shows?


	5. Surprises

I AM SOOOO SORRY! I haven't updated in such a long time, mainly because I was lazy. But also because I didn't have as much time. Anyways, I hope everyone is still gonna read this, cuz I worked hard on it.

CHAPTER FIVE - SURPRISES

After spending a week on the fire nation ship, Katara grew restless. It wasn't the people who bored her, just the place. Every hallway looked the same and every room was similar. At first, Katara often got lost on the ship. This actually interested her because she pretended it was a game.

Now, she knew the entire ship like the back of her hand and she grew tired of the same scenery everyday. Having traveled halfway around the world with Aang, Katara had gotten used to adventure. She once thought firebenders brought the most adventure since they caused all the trouble, but now she was surrounded by firebenders and it was really dull.

Fortunately for Katara, the ship was running low on supplies and they had to stop by a port very soon. In face, the ship would be docking the next morning.

It was currently evening and Katara was feeling a little to hyped up. She couldn't even sit still for a minute. Deciding that some waterbending would tire herself out, Katara made her way to the deck. She leaned over the railing and began stirring the ocean water by waving around her hands. She lifted an arm and a jet of water shot into the air. Her other arm rose and a second column of water appeared. Katara brought both hands to her side in one swift movement, causing the water to shape into small icicles. They rushed towards the deck, landing in a neat formation.

Katara took a deep breath and lifted her arms again. The small icicles melted into one large one and floated up into the air. The pointed end was facing the sun and Katara wondered how far she could make the icicle go. With a sudden burst of energy, she pushed her hands forward, making the large icicle shoot forward like a bullet. It traveled for a reasonable distance before dropping into the water.

After relaxing her hands, Katara let out a sigh and leaned against the railing. That stunt drained more energy than she'd expected.

By this time, the sun had set and Katara figured it was pretty late. She knew it was time to go inside, but she also wanted to try her new trick again. Deciding it would be alright to stay for a few more minutes, Katara created another large icicle. She lifted it up above her head just as the ship suddenly swayed sharply to one side. Katara lost balance and toppled to the ground with a yelp. The next thing she saw was a stream of fire blowing away her large icicle.

The sky exploded into a mixture of soot and water droplets that landed all over Katara asshe was helped to her feet by a pair of strong arms. She turned around to see Zuko giving her an awkward smiled.

"Thanks, I owe you one", Katara grinned sheepishly. Zuko grunted in response and pulled away. He had his back turned towards the waterbender and was looking up at the sky.

"How did you know to show up at the right time?" Katara asked this even though she already knew the answer.

"I just happened to pass by", Zuko lied. Katara could tell he was lying since the deck was on the very end of the ship and it was impossible to "pass by" that area. She decided to play along and try to make Zuko confess the truth.

"Then I guess you didn't see Aang stopping by, huh?" she asked with a smirk.

"That's not possible! I would have seen him!" Zuko yelled, looking around.

"But you were just passing by", Katara teased.

"Fine. I watched you train and you were… pretty good", Zuko admitted.

"Do you want to spar?" Katara asked quietly, unsure of her opponent's next reaction.

"I've got nothing better to do", Zuko agreed. The two benders stood across from each other, each posed in a unique stance. Katara waited for Zuko to start, but apparently, he was waiting too. They stood motionless for a few seconds before Katara finally decided she'd attack first.

A column of water shot into the air and a jet of fire pushed it down a second later. Zuko blocked several icicles before being hit on his left arm by one. He blasted fire in Katara's direction with his right hand while she jumped back to avoid the flames.

A few minutes passed by and it was pretty obvious that Katara was winning. The moon had risen, giving her the extra strength she needed. She shot wave after wave of water towardsher opponent, drenching him in the cold liquid.

Zuko couldn't stand the thought of losing and for a moment, he had the urge to kill the girl. He shook off the water and lunged forward, shooting flames of fire at an alarming rate. One flame scraped against Katara's neck, burning away a portion of the strap that held together her mother's necklace. It fell to the ground with a clunk and immediately, the fight stopped.

Zuko picked it up and was about to examine it when Katara rushed forward, tripped, and fell, bringing Zuko down with her. He hit the floor first and Katara landed on top. She looked down at him with a frightened expression, as if her life and that necklace depended on each other. With one fluid motion, Katara snatched away the necklace, noticed its damage, and broke down crying.

The firebender lay with his back on the floor, a confused expression on his face, and a crying teenaged on top of him. He had no idea why the waterbender was so upset of a trinket, but he **was** enjoying the fact that her soft, warm body was covering his.

Cautiously, he sat up and pulled Katara into a hug, trying to comfort her. She continued to cry and buried her face into his shoulder. Zuko tried to think of something nice to say, but nothing came out. What was she even crying about a necklace? He waited patiently until all the crying had turned into silent tears. Katara pulled away and looked at him sadly while clutching her necklace in a trembling fist.

"This was my mother's necklace. And her mother's too. It was carved for my gran-gran by her fiancé, who happens to be the person who trained me in waterbending. But, to me, this necklace only symbolizes my mother", Katara explained, her voice quivering every now and then.

"Where is she?" Zuko seemed interested.

"Killed. By the fire nation. During the war **your** father started", Katara replied bitterly.

"That's all you have left of her. And I messed it up", Zuko murmured softly. Katara nodded. She was surprised that she hadn't gotten mad at Zuko, but instead, forgave him quite easily. "Maybe we can fix it", he suggested. That was as close to apologizing as Zuko dared to get. He simply wasn't comfortable saying "sorry".

Katara nodded again and stood up, followed by Zuko. They walked side by side into the cabin in complete silence. When they reached Zuko's room, he invited Katara inside and suggested they try to fix it.

After laying the necklace on a table, both teenagers were bent over it, examining it carefully.

"We can sew the straps together", Zuko said thoughtfully.

"I can't sew", Katara admitted.

"Neither can I", Zuko chuckled.

"Then how - "

"My uncle can. It's amazing how many things he can do", Zuko murmured.

"Well, he sure can sing", Katara smiled. She'd attended music night last night an it had been very entertaining. She'd done nothing more except sit in a corner and watch everyone else play music and get drunk.

"And he likes to shop", Zuko added.

"He's a really nice person", Katara commented.

"Yeah, sometimes I wonder if everything would have been different if he was the fire lord", Zuko said with a sigh.

"You look up to him a lot, don't you?" Katara asked.

"Like a father", Zuko admitted.

"I think he'd make a great father", Katara said softly. Zuko looked over at her and their eyes met for a brief moment before Katara looked away shyly.

"There'll be thread and needles you can buy at the port. This necklace will be fixed, don't worry", Zuko said, picking up the broken necklace and handing it to Katara. She accepted it from him and gave a brief nod before exiting.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Katara was up and dressed before the sun had risen the next morning. She hurried out onto the deck and paced back and forth, eager to get off the ship. After a while, Katara managed to convince herself that walking around wasn't going to make the ship move any faster. She sank into a chair and watched lazily as the sun slowly dominated the sky.

The golden orb hanging in the midst of a cloudless blue sky reminded Katara of a fight she'd had with Zuko at the Northern water temple. She remembered him saying with an arrogant voice, "You rise with the moon, I rise with the sun". Katara smiled a little at these thoughts. She'd only been able to beat him last night because the moon was on her side. What if they had a fight during the day? She was sure she'd get fried instantly.

A creaking noise caused Katara to turn around and she saw Zuko emerging from the trap door that led to the cabins. He joined her on a nearby chair without hesitation and Katara was surprised at the boldness. Zuko was usually very distant to her. Actually, he wasn't too friendly with anyone except his uncle.

For a moment, Katara believed that what had happened last night may have brought them closer, but she quickly pushed that thought aside. Something like this was too good to be true and it was no use telling herself things that weren't possible, then feeling disappointed afterwards.

Katara looked over at Zuko and their eyes met briefly again. The waterbender turned to look away, but her companion spoke up causing her to look at him again.

"We're almost there. If you look hard, you can see the land masses", he explained.

"How much longer until we arrive?" Katara asked curiously.

"At this rate, I'd estimate half an hour. You should probably dress differently. The majority of the port are firebenders", Zuko suggested.

"I don't really have… other clothes", Katara said worriedly.

"Then I'm sure my uncle would be more than delighted to take you shopping", Zuko's statement disappointed Katara. His uncle would take her shopping? Did that mean Zuko was staying on the ship? Katara really did enjoy Iroh's company, but she felt she'd grown somewhat attached to Zuko.

"What about you?" Katara asked, hoping she didn't sound too forward.

"Me?"

"Are you staying on the ship?"

"Do you want me to?" Zuko asked, unsure of whether the girl wanted him around or not.

"It doesn't really matter", Katara replied. What she wanted to say was "yes", but to Katara, it sounded as if Zuko didn't really want to go.

"I guess I'll go, then", Zuko shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant when inside, he was jumping with excitement.

"Great!" a smile broke onto Katara's face and she felt her heart do a little jump. This feeling excited her, but it also scared her. Why did she fell like this? Did she like Zuko? Wasn't he supposed to be the enemy?

_But I misunderstood him._ Katara assured herself that Zuko wasn't really the enemy.

But, they were a firebender and waterbender; complete opposites. And their nations were at war. So was there no hope of them having a future together?

"We should prepare to dock", Zuko announced, shaking Katara out of her thoughts. She nodded in agreement and followed him through the trapdoor and into the lower deck.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

As Katara took her first step off the ship, she felt her heart beat increase rapidly. But, why? She'd done things that were many times more exciting than this, yet she couldn't calm her nerves. Most of her felt fear while a small part of her felt other mixed emotions. But, why was she afraid?

It was true, there were firebenders all over the place, but she had been in a similar environment before.

It took Katara a while to figure it out, but when she did, everything became clear. She'd been so accustomed to feeling safe on the ship where she knew everyone. Now, there were strangers everywhere.

Katara looked around nervously and inched closer to Zuko while sneaking glances at her surroundings. They headed through a small street that ended in a three way split. Here, Katara, Iroh, and Zuko went one way, separating themselves from the rest of the crew.

Iroh led the trio to a small shop that was surrounded by a beautiful garden. Katara was the last to enter and gave a small gasp when she saw her surrounding. On the walls hung the most beautiful hand-made silk dresses Katara had ever seen. Each one was exotic and unique in its own way, but they all consisted of fire nation colors.

A tall lady with a pointed nose and long gray hair stepped out from behind the counter and greeted Iroh with a big hug. Apparently, they were very old friends.

"Is there any specific item you're looking for?" the lady asked, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

"Ah, we were just trying to find something nice for this young lady here to wear", Iroh explained, motioning to Katara.

"I see…and may I be bold enough to assume she is your playmate?" the lady asked Zuko as if she were talking to a baby. He grumbled a little but said nothing.

"All of these are very beautiful, but you must agree, red and black simply are not Miss Katara's colors", Iroh said, pulling Katara forward. The tall lady studied Katara carefully before speaking again. "I know just what you mean, Iroh. Come in the back. I have something that would suit you quite wonderfully", she dragged Katara into the back room, leaving Zuko and Iroh standing in silence.

Katara rubbed her wrists painfully as she looked around the new room. Here were many beautiful dresses here as well, but they were in a variety of colors. Katara watched silently as the tall lady walked around the clothes, selecting certain ones while talking to Katara.

"You know, darling, these would work for you perfectly. Especially since you're such a pretty girl. No wonder Iroh brought you here".

"What do you mean?" Katara asked.

"You see, Iroh and I are old friends. So I know him very well. He's a very nice man, but there's one flaw about him that I've learned to… appreciate".

"What's his flaw?"

"Well, Iroh is very protective. Over protective. And it's only towards Zuko. His own children have deceased, and it was a tragic death, so he treats Zuko like his own son. Iroh wants the best for Zuko. Only the best".

"But how can you tell?" Katara asked. Iroh **did **seem to care a lot, but he wasn't all that different from other parents.

"Before Zuko was banished, his father was searching for a young woman to produce an heir after Zuko. Thousands of girls came to try out. They had to be approved by three people: The fire lord, Iroh, and then Zuko.

Most of the girls didn't make it pass the first stage, but the few that Lord Ozai accepted, Iroh rejected. It seemed to me as if Iroh didn't believe any girl was good enough for Zuko. Until he met you, of course".

"But, Zuko doesn't even like me. And I'm not a firebender. How could the fire lord possibly be pleased?" Katara asked.

"I don't think that's for you to worry about. Iroh his a very persuasive person, you know? Here, put these on", the tall lady handed Katara a stack of clothes and ushered her into a dressing room.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

Zuko paced back and forth while Iroh watched him with a wry smile on his face. They both looked up when they heard footsteps, but were both disappointed that it wasn't Katara.

"What? Am I really **that **repulsive?" the tall lady asked.

"Where's Miss Katara?" Iroh asked eagerly.

"Patience, Iroh. She's right here", the tall lady moved to her left, allowing Katara to step into view. As she did so, Zuko gave an audible gasp and Iroh chuckled.

Katara was dressed in a light blue dress; low cut with lacy edges. The waist portion was similar to a kimono and her back was revealed. The fabric was a soft silk that flowed gently in the breeze. (Hey, let's pretend the window was open, ok?)

Her hair had been let down, changing her whole appearance. Katara's eyes seemed bigger and her smiling lips looked fuller.

Iroh nodded in approval and Katara beamed. "So, Prince Zuko, what do you think?" the tall lady asked slyly.

"The- the dress is beautiful", Zuko stuttered.

"The dress?" Katara asked in disbelief.

"And… you. Are… beautiful", Zuko chocked out. He really meant it too, even though it didn't look that way. The waterbender standing in front of him was truly a breathtaking sight. She was much prettier than any other girl he'd ever seen.

"Well then, that's settled. Please accept this dress as a gift", the tall lady smiled kindly. Katara blushed and thanked her before heading out the door, cradling her old clothes in her arms.

Right before they stepped out of the garden outside the house, the tall lady rushed outside and thrust a package in Katara's already filled arms.

"I'm sure you'll enjoy it", she said with a wink. Katara thanked her and the trio began walking towards the ship. At the three way split, Iroh headed in a separate direction, searching for a special type of tea and some thread. Zuko was left with Katara and they decided to look around.

After walking several blocks, both benders noticed a group of drunk men following them. Zuko took Katara's hand and pulled her closer, a sudden feeling of possessiveness overcoming him. Why was he feeling like this? He didn't want anyone near Katara. He wanted her all to himself.

The drunk men walked closer until they surrounded the couple. Zuko was in no mood to fight, so he ignored them and tugged on Katara's hand. She followed him as he formed a ball of fire and pushed it out in front of him. The drunk men moved away, slightly shocked. They muttered to themselves and walked away, scattering in different directions.

Zuko didn't let go of Katara until they were both well into the ship. He sat down on a chair and motioned for Katara to join him. She obeyed and set the package she'd received on a table. Curiosity got the better of both teens and they eagerly opened the brown parcel.

Katara pulled out the present wrapped inside and Zuko immediately backed away. He felt himself turn red in a mix of embarrassment and anger. Obviously, Iroh and that tall lady were planning something together.

A/N : hmmm… I WONDER what it could be? Lol, I hope I update soon XD please review, because getting review makes me want to update more.


	6. Feelings revealed

I'm really trying to update as fast as I can go so I can be done with this story cuz I have too many different plots in mind. So... enjoy!

CHAPTER SIX – FEELINGS REVEALED

Iroh hummed merrily to himself as he exited a tea shop, carrying several packages in his arms. He walked down a long, narrow street with dozens of poles on either side. Each pole was a different size, as if the maker couldn't measure correctly. But, all the poles had one thing in common. They each had a large poster covering it. And this wasn't just any poster. It was one that meant celebration to some, defeat to others, but it was very important to everyone.

Iroh didn't notice these posters until he reached the last one, when a single word caught his eye: avatar. Immediately, the old man turned to read the poster. It was a victory notice displayed proudly in a fire nation port.

Iroh ripped off one poster and took it with him. He hurried back to the ship, eager to report the news to Zuko.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Katara sat awkwardly beside Zuko, fingering the present she'd received from the tall lady. Was this some kind of joke? She was supposed to… "enjoy" this? Katara frowned as she remembered the lady's words. How could she enjoy something that didn't suit her at all?

In Katara's lap lay the present. It was a thin, silk nightdress made of the richest fabric. The edges were trimmed with lace and the entire dress itself wasn't much bigger than a large book. Katara had to admit the dress, with its deep blue color, was a beautiful article of clothing. But how could she wear it? In really blunt words, she was simply too modest to wear something so showy.

The silence was broken by Iroh, who rushed breathlessly into the room, almost dropping the boxes of tea and the needles and thread he was holding. He managed to set them on the table before unrolling a poster in front of Zuko. The fire prince scanned over the words and snatched away the poster for a closer look.

"That's impossible", he growled angrily. Katara looked worriedly at Iroh, but he simply shook his head. Zuko slammed the poster down on to the table and stormed out of the room.

Katara leaned forward and cautiously took the poster in her hands. She read the bulletin several times until it registered clearly in her mind. It was an announcement that proudly boasted Princess Zula of the fire nation. She had captured the avatar. Immediately, Katara felt fear creeping over her. She was worried about the safety of her friend.

But, they wouldn't harm Aang, would they? If he died, a new avatar would be reborn and the fire nation would have to find him or her all over again. Katara decided this was reasonable and she relaxed momentarily.

Then, the waterbender remembered the fire prince. Of course he'd be angry! If his sister caught the avatar, it meant Zuko would never be able to return home. Katara knew how much Zuko's pride and honor meant to him and she felt sorry for him. But, he didn't want pity. He wanted help.

Filled with determination, Katara left the room to find Zuko. She promised herself she'd find a way to help the prince. At the main entrance to the ship, Katara ran into several crew members who informed her that the ship would be leaving soon. They also told her they'd seen Zuko storm down the hall to his room. Thanking the firebenders, Katara hurried off in a different direction. She made her way down two corridors and stopped at a large door that led to Zuko's room.

Cautiously, Katara pushed it open to reveal Zuko sitting angrily on his bed. She dared to enter and sit beside him, but was afraid to speak.

Finally, Katara gathered up all the courage she could muster and was about to say something, but Zuko stood up abruptly.

"I bet you're gloating, aren't you?' he asked quietly.

"What?" Katara was quite taken back at this harsh comment.

"You've been helping the avatar run from me, and we've always been enemies. And now I lost", he said roughly.

"You made yourself the enemy! I was only trying to help Aang! And why would I be happy that he's been captured?" Katara demanded.

"I wouldn't know how your mind works", Zuko replied bitterly.

"Look, I didn't come here to start an argument. You probably won't believe me, but I actually wanted to help. Besides, Aang is my friend and I don't want him to be captured", Katara explained. Zuko sighed and turned to look at her.

"I don't get it. You know I would capture your little friend the first change I have, yet you still insist on helping me?"

"Because you only want him so you can return home. It's reasonable for human nature to make you feel this way", Katara said, sounding very much like a teacher.

"No, it's not! I'm just selfish, remember? You said so yourself!" Zuko growled, his temper flaring. Katara looked at him sadly and spoke in a calm voice, "Fine, don't think of it as help. Let's pretend I'm selfish too and all I want is my friend back". She gave him one last look and left the room, on the verge of tears.

She ran into Iroh in the hallway and before she knew it, Katara was hurrying in the opposite direction with tears running down her face. She made it into her room and quickly locked the door before collapsing on the bed. Why was she crying over a simple fight? Katara asked herself this question in her head, but her heart knew the answer. Her tears were tears of disappointment. She felt let down that any good relationship she might have had with the prince was now destroyed. Why did she care so much anyways? A week ago they had been enemies, and just a few minutes ago, she'd been more than willing to help him.

Katara tried to convince herself that all she felt for Zuko was pity. She wanted to believe that her pity for him was the only thing that caused her to care. But deep down, Katara knew there was more. A lot more. Spending a week in an enclosed area with the banished prince had taught Katara to appreciate him. Through this one person, she'd experienced more fights and arguments than her whole lifetime. To add to this, the waterbender realized that all the intimate moments of her life had been with Zuko. She'd openly talked to him about her mother, a subject she rarely mentioned. And, according to Iroh, Zuko had willingly told Katara about himself, when he rarely liked to talk at all.

So, could they have had something special? Katara shook her head and sighed. It really was no use telling herself all these lies. She wanted to stay away from Zuko before he could make her feel worse. Katara sighed again and lay down on her bed. It was only a little before noon, but she felt exhausted.

Before Katara even had time to close her eyes, a knock sounded at the door. She was sure it was Iroh and for a moment, Katara considered ignoring it. Then, she remembered the kind old man and decided it would be better not to. Reluctantly, Katara slipped out of bed and began walking across the room. She was almost there when a voice took her by surprise.

"Open the freaking door! I know you're in there", Zuko's cold voice rang out. Katara hmphed and dragged open the door. She wanted more than anything to slam the door in Zuko's face, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

"What do you want?" she asked, eyeing him warily.

"To talk", Zuko demanded, but his voice had softened. Katara allowed him in and they each took a seat beside a small table.

"You aren't talking", Katara said flatly after a moment of silence.

"Fine. My uncle came in after you ran out, and he claimed there was a shortcut we could take from here so we could reach the fire nation at the same time, or maybe a little after, Zula arrives", Zuko told her.

"Is that all he said?" Katara asked, wanting to end this conversation.

"No… he also talked about…" Zuko paused and looked around uncomfortably.

"What?" Katara asked impatiently.

"Us. He talked about you… and me… and us", Zuko replied.

"What about us?" Katara asked, remembering what the tall lady had told her.

"He's disappointed that we're always fighting. And honestly, I would do almost anything to keep my uncle happy. So… I'm sorry", Zuko sounded somewhat reluctant to say this, but Katara knew it took the proud prince just about everything to say those two words.

"You know, I really wish we could agree sometimes", Katara murmured.

"Don't expect me to comply to all **your **wishes too", Zuko retorted.

"That wasn't what I meant!" Katara protested with a frown.

"Sure sounded like it", Zuko replied smugly. Katara's mouth dropped open, shocked that he would dare say something so mean after they'd just sort of made up.

"What's that supposed to me?" she yelled.

"Nothing", the prince smirked. Katara shook her head and decided to change the subject.

"What will we do after we arrive at the fire nation?" she asked.

"Nothing. **We** do nothing. You help your friend and I try to kill you. Like it's been before", Zuko said, sounding almost sad.

"What? Why don't you kill me now? I thought - "

"There's nothing to think about! We can only survive in this world as enemies", Zuko interrupted.

"Why aren't we enemies now?" Katara asked.

"There's no one around", Zuko answered in a flat voice.

"So you can only be decent to me when no one's looking?" Katara was outraged. There wasn't anything wrong with her, so why was Zuko feeling like this?

"It's not you. It's me and my honor. I don't expect someone like you to understand", Zuko sounded tired.

"Why is it always someone like me? There **is** no one like me! But there are people like you! They let what other people think control themselves! They think honor is more important than the other joys of life! What is wrong with you!" Katara screamed in frustration.

"You want to know what's wrong with me? I'll tell you what's fucking wrong with me! I'm being ripped in half. I have a father on one side and with him comes my kingdom, my throne, and my honor! My other side consists of a bitch who's everywhere in my life. She annoys the hell out of me during the day and haunts my dreams at night. And now I'm going insane because of her!" Zuko yelled in reply.

"I'm driving **you **insane?" Katara asked. She'd always thought it was the other way around. She was annoyed by him, yet always wanted and needed him to be around for some strange reason.

"Yes", Zuko growled.

"How? How does that make you insane?" Katara challenged. Zuko stood up abruptly and took Katara's hand. He shoved her roughly against the wall and pressed his lips fully against hers. She was too shocked to respond at first, but Katara soon found herself feeling completely comfortable with what was happening. She dared to kiss him back and felt a shiver run up her spine when Zuko wrapped his arms around her.

When the couple finally broke apart for air, Katara felt a mix of emotions swirling around in her. She had fallen for the enemy. Did that mean she had betrayed Aang and Sokka? She felt torn between her duty as a friend and what she really desired. She really hoped she didn't have to choose a side, because that would have been impossible.

"You feel it now? Fell torn apart? That's how I've felt", Zuko answered her question.

"But, there's always a solution", Katara said, feeling desperate. She had to admit that at the moment, she would have chosen to be with Zuko. This made her feel guilty and she hated the feeling.

"No. After we get off the ship, there'll be dozens of forces trying to tear us apart. The whole world is going to object", Zuko stated.

"You can't say that", Katara whispered.

"I just did", Zuko countered firmly. He still had Katara in his arms and she was now resting her head against his chest. The waterbender shook her head and buried her face in his shirt, gripping his arms tightly. He held her too, feeling like a heavy load had been lifted. He felt relieved that Katara didn't stop talking to him. He had been worried that if he'd told her how he felt, she would have laughed or rejected him. Instead, she had pretty much admitted she felt the same way.

The couple had won their internal battles, but now they had to face the rest of the world.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Nighttime was arriving and the ship had already set course for the fire nation. Zuko and Katara had found Iroh, who showed them a map. He said that the shortcut would give them good time, but there was a small section of the waters that consisted of a narrow waterway with many large rocks

Also, Iroh claimed a storm was approaching and the waters would be dangerous. Zuko had insisted that they go through the shortcut. He boasted that nothing could stop the ship. No matter how much Katara or Iroh protested, Zuko was stubborn. Nothing could change his determination, and Katara had to admit she admired this.

They stood at the edge of the ship, watching the upcoming rocks in the distant that were steadily growing larger. The rain started falling, proving Iroh's theory about the storm to be correct.

"The gaps between those rocks aren't nearly large enough for the ship!" Katara pointed out with one hand while shielding her face from the rain with the other.

"No. There's going to be a way", Zuko argued. He left Katara on the deck and headed down to the steering room, planning to take control of the wheel himself. He burst into the room, but the captain wasn't willing to hand over the ship. A heated argument was started and Iroh arrived in time to break it up.

Huffing angrily, Zuko returned to the deck beside Katara.

"Maybe you can use fire bending and move the rocks or something", she suggested. Zuko nodded and blasted away a jagged rock with fire as the ship approached the narrow waterway. He worked tirelessly, blowing up the rocks that could possibly harm the ship.

The rain was falling harder now, and Katara could barely see. She moved closer to Zuko and waved her arms above their heads, creating a shield made of water. The rocky waters were getting worse and more firebenders had joined to help out. Zuko, seeing that the storm was slowly winning, yelled for Katara to go inside where it would be safer. She hesitated and was reluctant to do so, but there was a feeling of desperation inside her. She felt almost sure that the ship would fall into pieces from the rocks, but she wasn't willing to leave Zuko outside.

Katara was inches away from the door leading to safety, but she paused as a thought went into her mind. Waterbending. As a waterbender, she could try doing something the firebenders couldn't. The ship rocked to one side as the waves crashed in it and lightning filled the sky. Everyone was soaked in the freezing ocean water, but no one was willing to give up. This was a fight they would fight till the end.

Katara hurried to the front end of the ship and looked down at the stormy waves. She took a deep breath and concentrated hard, pushing all her extra thoughts out of the way. She slowly lifted both arms and the water under the ship rose, allowing all the rocks to sink under. Katara let out a sigh and continued to concentrate. She moved the water in large, gentler waves so that the ship sailed over the rocky area as if it were gliding.

Everyone else on the ship froze and watched her work, awed that so much power radiated from such a small figure. It wasn't until the ship had safely made it through the narrow waterway that everyone could relax again.

Katara sank to the ground, almost completely drained of energy. She hung onto the railing of the ship, gasping for breath. Zuko made his way to her side and gently helped her up. She collapsed in his embrace and wrapped her arms around his neck, a smile playing lightly on her face. She had helped him, just like she promised herself she would.

Zuko buried his face into her soaked hair and inhaled her intoxicating scent. They remained this way while the crew, torn and tattered, circled them and cheered wildly. In the distance, the lands of the fire nation were visible. They were close. Very close.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

So… how was that? I really liked the last two paragraphs… but other than that, this chapter was average. Not as good as I wanted it to be. Sorry for any proofreading mistakes, but I'm really trying XD


	7. Shores of the fire nation

Hi to all my readers! I just realized I never put a disclaimer in this story, but I'm sure everyone knows I don't own anything… except this plot!

CHAPTER SEVEN – SHORES OF THE FIRE NATION

Aang and Sokka sat across each other on the cold stone floor, stomachs growling in hunger. They didn't dare make a sound or try to communicate in anyway, for there were firebender guards posted around them in all directions. Any sudden movements and they would attack.

Aang knew he was at least safe from death, since he overheard commands to "keep the avatar alive". But that didn't mean the guards weren't allowed to hurt him. In fact, Zula had said that the guards could feel free to do what they wanted as long as both prisoners stayed alive.

The ship was heading towards the fire nation and Aang was pretty sure he knew what was going to happen. He dared to look around the room, wondering how he could escape. The window could easily be broken by airbending and Aang figured it was easy enough to jump into the ocean and hide for a while.

But what about Sokka? The avatar knew he couldn't leave his friend behind, but helping Sokka escape would result in failure. Aang scrunched up his eyebrows, deep in thought. He didn't even notice that a bowl of cold, slimy… "food" was being pushed in front of him. The faint scent of something edible finally reached the avatar's nose and his eyes widened happily. He quickly reached forward and brought the bowl to his mouth, eating the food eagerly. It didn't have much taste, but it did momentarily satisfy the hunger in his stomach.

The ship swayed suddenly to one side and Aang slammed into a wall while Sokka hit another. A shouting in the distance could be heard and immediately, half the guards ran off. The voice had belonged to Zula, who was giving orders to her crew members. They'd come upon a storm and the water was becoming dangerous.

With less guards in the room, Aang considered escaping again. He caught Sokka's eye and tried to motion to the nearest window without moving too much. Sokka understood what his friend was trying to say, but shook his head. He had another idea in mind and Aang could tell something was up. Then, it hit him. Appa! The flying bison had not been captured, which meant he was still flying around somewhere. But how could Appa help?

A few more guards left the room and Sokka laid down on the floor. Aang joined him and slowly scooted closer so that they could whisper back and forth without anyone else hearing.

"After the ship docks, we'll be most likely led out by guards. Once we are out of the ship, whistle for Appa to come. I'm assuming the palace won't be right next to the dock, so it'll take time to get there. When Appa gets here, we escape", Sokka instructed. Aang had no reply for this. Instead, he turned and gave Sokka a long, hard stare. When did he get so smart? What happened to the Sokka who only cared about food and himself? Aang made a mental note to ask him about this later. For now, he just nodded in agreement.

The two friends decided to rest while they waited. After all, it wouldn't be easy to escape from the firebenders around them. With both eyes closed, the two traveling companions fell into a much needed slumber.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Katara stood nervously at the edge of the ship, watching the lands of the fire nation grow closer with every passing minute. She drew in a deep breath and slowly let it out as the first rays of dawn shone upon her. Zuko stood beside her, lost in deep thought. His face was set in a scowl and his golden eyes were blank as if his soul wasn't occupying his body at the moment. They had gone over the plan countless times, but Katara still felt like something was bound to go wrong. She gripped the railing tightly, her knuckles slightly white from the pressure. After they landed on the shore, Katara was supposed to go with Zuko to find his sister, Aang, and Sokka.

The waterbender had no doubt they could track down their target easily, but she was worried about how to face her friend and brother. Would they see her as a betrayer? Katara wasn't sure what Zuko planned to do with Aang if he captured the little boy, but she was sure someone would get hurt. To her, it was a lose-lose situation.

Katara decided she would go along and make a decision in the end. She hoped it was possible for everyone to team up. Yeah right. What was she thinking? She believed that no matter how Zuko felt towards her, his honor would come first. Honor. It painted her to think that she could possibly be thrown aside by the prince for such a stupid…well, "honor" wasn't even a "thing"! How could a simple thought be such an influence?

Katara was broken out of her thoughts by a hand tapping her lightly on the shoulder. She turned around and saw that it was Iroh. Looking past the old general, Katara saw that Zuko had already gone into the cabin. When did he leave? She hadn't even noticed his presence was gone.

Quietly, she followed Iroh into the cabins where they prepared to leave the ship. The sun was now shining brightly overhead as the members of the ship quickly filed out. They ran along the shore, leaving behind sandy footprints. Katara was careful to stay near Zuko, as they were soon going to be separated from everyone else.

Suddenly, Katara stopped in her tracks, a grin of relief seeping onto her face. She had spotted a flying bison hurrying south towards a grand city. The waterbender's smile was quickly wiped away when Zuko motioned frantically to a group of firebenders in the distance, shooting at the bison. Even from far away, Katara could recognize Sokka's stride and Aang's childe-like walk.

Katara's mind was in complete confusion as she followed Zuko towards her friends. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Appa being shot down, but there was nothing she could do.

Soon, they were within meters of Zula and her crew. Katara watched as Aang wiggled out of the grasp of a guard and darted into the forest. Immediately, both Zuko and Zula were hot on his trail, leaving everyone else on the beach.

Sokka slipped his hidden boomerang out of his pocket and shoved away the guard holding him prisoner. He broke off into a run, dragging Katara with him while the guards ran after them, shouting angrily. Sokka tried to head into the forest where he thought it would be easier to hide, but Katara was determined to stay near the water.

They ran onto the shoreline until the two siblings were both knee-deep in the water. Thinking fast, Katara raised both arms in the air and shot dozens of little icicles at the guards who were steadily getting closer. She quickly created a large wave and made it wash over the guards, knocking some of them off their feet.

Sokka joined in and helped by knocking out a few guards wit his boomerang. He focused on keeping a clear surrounding around Katara so she could attack without being attacked. Working together, the siblings fought off all the guards until they lay, groaning in agony on the washed up shore. Seeing that there was no more need to benear the water, Katara and Sokka hurried into the forest, hoping to find Aang and his attackers.

XOXOXOXOX

Zuko jumped over a fallen tree and rushed forward. He could hear the footsteps of his sister several meters away. He could also hear the avatar running in front of him, leaves rustling as they passed by.

Aang made his way into a clearing and turned around, prepared to defend himself. Both the fire prince and princess emerged from the trees and stood on either side of him. They glared at him, then at each other, hatred burning in their matching golden eyes.

"Why the hell are you here?" Zula demanded.

"I'm capturing the avatar so I can claim **my** spot on the throne", Zuko spat.

"You don't deserve the throne!" Zula yelled angrily. Zuko growled and shot forward, knocking Aang to the ground with a blast of his fire. He was more determined than ever to win this fight. Everything that mattered depended on the outcome of this fight. If he won, he could reclaim his kingdom and his honor. If he lost, he might as well have killed himself.

Apparently, Zula was thinking the same thing for her eyes were burning with determination as well. They both grabbed at Aang, who quickly scampered away. He pushed his arms together and let out a blast of air, knocking both firebenders back. They jumped back on their feet and charged towards the avatar, both shooting fire at alarming speeds.

Zuko spotted an opening and jumped forward grapping Aang's arms and holding them together. He saw Zula advancing towards him and shot out a leg, kicking her away. The girl landed on her back with a moan and hurried to her feet. But, she wasn't fast enough. Zuko had used a cheap trick and had gotten away while still holding onto Aang tightly.

He headed out of the forest and towards the palace, eager to turn in the avatar to his father. But, before he could reach his destination, he encountered a sight both pleasing and disturbing at the same time. Katara and Sokka hurried towards them, the waterbender seeming hesitant while her brother was more than eager to hurry forward. They met head on and Katara's eyes found their way to Zuko's. His golden orbs softened when he saw the fear in her shining blue ones.

Sokka tried to free Aang while attacking Zuko at the same time. He failed.

"Katara! Don't just stand there! Help me! Help **us**!" Sokka urged. Katara looked at him, a terrified expression on her face. She backed away slowly, unsure of what to do. Her whole body was trembling and a tear slipped down her cheek.

This was it. She had to choose between people she loved. Katara could feel her heart being ripped at as she looked from Sokka to Zuko, then back to Sokka again. She sank to the ground, dazed and confused, her heart thundering rapidly in her chest.

The last time she had to make a choice like this wasn't as bad as this time. Last time, she was choosing between her brother and Aang. One was a blood relative, one was a friend. A very good friend, but no more than a friend. This time was different. Katara felt as if she was somehow attached to Zuko, and either way she chose, someone would end up hurt real bad, maybe even dead.

Unable to think clearly, Katara buried her face in her hands and started crying. She felt weak and cowardly like a child, but couldn't help it.

Zuko looked back and forth from Katara to Sokka, then growled and tossed Aang onto the ground. The avatar landed with a grunt and quickly jumped to his feet. He stood in a stance, ready for battle, but Zuko rushed past him without a second glance.

He pulled Katara into his arms and hugged her tightly. She clung onto him and cried, ignoring the shocked expressions on Aang and Sokka's face.

"What did you do to her?" Sokka demanded angrily, stepping forward. He was about to attack but Aang reminded him that Katara could get hurt too. Sokka drew back reluctantly and crossed his arms.

"I didn't do shit to her", Zuko growled back.

"No, but it looks like she did something to you", a voice added smugly. Zula emerged from the forest, brushing leaves out of her long, red hair that was now messily piled down her back. Aang tensed and backed away instinctively, ready to be on the defense.

"There's no need to fight me. I only had to bring you here", Zula said to Aang. She pointed a little to his left and everyone turned to see Fire Lord Ozai standing triumphantly, a large group of fire soldiers under his command.

"This is pathetic", he scoffed at Zuko.

"Father! **I **brought the avatar to where he is now. If I hadn't caught him, he could have escaped", Zuko protested.

"Zula?" the fire lord turned to his daughter.

"I- I lost track of him when we first arrived, but I would have gotten to him anyways!" Zula yelled, direction the last bit of her comment to Zuko.

"Get the avatar", Ozai ordered his soldiers, "I'll deal with my children". The fire soldiers spread out in a pre-practiced formation and closed in on Aang, how hopped up into the air and began attacking.

The battle between the Avatar and the soldiers was paid no attention by Ozai or his children. The fire lord was confident his troops could capture a little boy. Instead, he focused on the teenagers in front of him.

Zuko and Katara had separated and the waterbender hid behind her brother while the fire lord began walking towards his two children. Zuko stood a few feet beside Zuko and looked up at her father with fierce eyes. Her brother looked at the top of her head, afraid to stare his father straight in the eye.

"Zuko!" the fire lord's loud voice boomed.

"Father", Zuko murmured, looking down at his feet.

"You're become weak!" Ozai yelled.

"I -"

"You had the avatar in you grasp and you willing let him go for a crying girl?"

"You saw that?" Zuko asked, ashamed.

"Have you no honor? You are the prince of the fire nation! There is royal blood running in your veins! I thought a few years of suffering would teach you something but apparently, it's only made you worse!" Ozai sounded disgusted that this boy was his son. Zuko looked up angrily, hurt that his father had not changed a bit.

"It did! I've learned plenty! And I'm not weak! **You** are!" Zuko shot back,

"Me?" Ozai scoffed, raising an eyebrow.

"You're weak because you allow what other people think control you! Well, I've learned something. There's more to life than honor. There are other people who matter! It's not weak to have emotions, but I wouldn't expect someone like you to understand", Zuko knew he was making his father angrier, but he didn't care. It felt good to talk back to him like this. Beside him, Zuko's sister stood with her mouth open. Was this really her brother? Where was the coward who shook in fear when he was banished a few years ago? She looked at her father for his expression and wasn't the least bit shocked to see him seething in anger.

Zuko crossed his arms and smirked. He felt confident and ready to take on his father, even if it was going to be another duel. During his time as an exile, he had trained tirelessly and had grown much stronger. The fire lord had no idea what his son had become.

"It was dishonoring me that got you banished, and now it is what will end you life!" the fire lord boomed. Zula froze. Was the fire lord really going to kill her brother? As much as the princess disliked Zuko, his death would definitely not be a benefit for her.

"I'd like to see you try something", Zuko rolled his eyes, "You think you're strong, father, but how much training have you done during the time I was gone?"

"Dishonor! It is shameful to even think you are royalty! When the sun is at its highest peak, we duel!" Ozai gripped his fists angrily. Zuko stared back with equal anger; he was ready.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Aang darted by a small bush and ran towards the ocean. It was time to try out his water bending skills. He dived into the water and formed a ball of air around him. The water surrounding that ball began swirling in a dizzying pattern. Huge winds erupted above the surface, knocking the soldiers back. Aang kicked to the surface and moved his arms in a pushing motion, letting the waves roll over the soldiers.

He was about to win, but more troops came in until the avatar was struggling on the floor while soldiers tied him together.

Katara watched this from a distance, clutching Sokka's arm for support. She was shaking from head to toe and could hardly breathe. Everything seemed to be falling apart. Zuko was set to fight his father, Aang had been captured, Appa was injured somewhere, and she was stranded with Sokka in the fire nation.

The two water tribe siblings were led away by guards and thrown into a cell where the two teens sat across from each other. Aang was put in a separate cell next door and several guards surrounded the area. Katara huddled in a corner and hugged her knees to her chest, sobbing quietly.

"Katara. What happened back there?" Sokka asked gently. Katara shook her head and looked away. "Katara! What did he do to you?"

"Nothing, Sokka. I'm fine"

"Katara, you're acting very differently. What happened after you fell off Appa?" Aang asked from his cell.

"Is **that** what happened? I fell off Appa? What were you guys doing?" Katara cried.

"Appa crash landed and we got captured a day later", Sokka answered.

"I was rescued", Katara said.

"By Zuko?" Aang guessed. Katara nodded. How could she tell her friends that Zuko wasn't the enemy? Would they listen to her?

"Katara, Zuko was… well, it looked like he was comforting you. Isn't that the least bit weird?" Sokka asked.

"I- Zuko's not the bad guy. It's not him. It's just his father", Katara explained.

"I can't believe you're defending him! He **did **do something to you!" Sokka said, his eyes widening.

"No! He's not a bad person. I really mean it", Katara protested.

"What happened between you guys? Did he threaten you? He didn't do… anything, did he?" Sokka asked. Katara shook her head.

"No? No what?"

"Sokka, you have to understand. He's a lot like you and me, you know? And I like him. I really do. He's just been hurt. You saw the way his father treated him, didn't you?" Katara asked desperately.

"You **what**?" Aang exclaimed.

"He can only hurt you", Sokka protested.

"That's the only thing he **can't **do to her", a voice scoffed. Zula stepped into the dungeon followed by two soldiers.

"What do you want from us? We're already locked up", Sokka frowned.

"Just the girl. My father's orders. Apparently, my brother treasures you the most. You're his biggest weakness", Zula smirked. She opened the door enough for Katara to step out, then slammed it shut again. The two girls walked out of the dungeon and into a large hallway.

"Where are we going?" Katara asked nervously.

"Nosy, aren't you?" Zula muttered, not answering her question. Katara looked around as they walked, trying to remember how to get from one place to another. She soon gave up since there were so many twists and turns. When they arrived in front of a large set of red, double doors, Zula pushed them open and led Katara inside. They stood in front of the fire lord and a handful of soldiers. He motioned for Zula to leave and she obeyed.

"What do you want?" Katara asked bitterly as the doors closed behind her.

"**I **don't want anything. It's what Zuko wants… or needs", he smirked. Katara felt a wave of nervousness flush over her. What was that supposed to mean? Was she really Zuko's weakness? She could never forgive herself if something happened to him because of her. Katara tried to back away as several guards surrounded her. She stumbled and saw a flash of fire before her vision was clouded by darkness.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

A/N : I **love **cliffys! Don't you love cliffys? please please please review!


	8. Face to face

Wow, this chapter took me really long to write because the events just dragged on and on and on…. But I managed to finish it. So… here goes! oh, and guess what else? I updated after only TWO days! yay!

CHAPTER EIGHT – FACE TO FACE

Zuko paced around anxiously, dressed in his fighting clothes. He would be in a fire duel, so there was no need for heavy armor or weapons. Millions of thoughts swirled around in his head as he mentally prepared for the big fight that would soon take place. What would happen if he lost? He wasn't too worried about himself, since the worst he could go through was death. But, what about Katara? Zuko had no doubt that his father's sick mind would find good use of the waterbender.

A gong sounded in the distance and varying voices could be heard as all of the fire nation filled into the large arena, waiting to see the duel. Zuko sighed nervously and left the room, walking bravely towards the stadium. He entered through a small door and felt his heart stop.

The painful memories this place brought were so clear, so vivid. He could almost hear himself scream from pain when his father had scarred him. Suddenly, doubts filled the prince's mind. He'd done this before, and he'd failed. Zuko felt his body turn weak as he remembered the past. Thoughts raced through his mind, making him feel a rush of confused emotions. He couldn't do this! He was going to die. He just knew it.

Then, suddenly, all these doubts and thoughts of failure cleared from his mind when he saw two people. His father and Katara. The fire lord entered the room followed closely by a guard who was carrying a limp body dressed in blue. Zuko recognized the girl immediately and felt rage boiling inside of him. The anger pushed him and he instantly remembered all the suffering he had endured. It had made him stronger, and it had made him work harder. But as he looked over at Katara, he realized it was her care for him that had made him unbreakable.

With new determination rising, Zuko stepped forward boldly. He readied himself in a fighting stance and the fire lord did the same. They both stood, ready to attack, but neither made the first move.

"So, Prince Zuko", the fire lord started, stressing the word "prince" to make it sound sarcastic, "not so bold anymore, are we? It seems you have a weakness, and she is hanging onto her life by a single thread. If you win, she wins, If you die, she dies too. It is one of the oldest spells; unbreakable".

"Just like me", Zuko murmured to himself. He nodded, accepting his father's challenge. The fire lord laughed at his son's stupidity and began the fight. The two firebenders, father and son, were engaged in a history-making duel.

Zuko dodged blow after blow, shooting fire at his opponent in between. He narrowed his eyes and focused on remembering his father's weak points. The fire lord was strong on offense, but weak on defense. His right leg had suffered an injury long ago and never healed properly. Zuko aimed for this area and succeeded.

Ozai slipped when the heat brushed against his leg, allowing Zuko an extra second to attack. He took advantage of this and shot fire out from both hands, releasing a huge amount of energy as well as frustration. Soon, the intensity of the duel overpowered the structure of the stadium. Without warning, the ceiling cracked and split across the middle, letting in a ray of sunshine. This only added to the firebender's energy until the entire ceiling collapsed and the audience was forced to scramble to safety.

Anything outside the fight was unnoticed to both the firelord and prince. They were no longer dueling. This was a fight to live. In the end, one would emerge triumphantly, the other dead.

Zuko blocked an attack and returned with one of his own, hitting the firelord on his arm. Surprised that his father was being hit so easily, Zuko began suspecting there was a trap involved. He started paying attention to little details, but nothing looked suspicious. Two successful hits later, Zuko concluded his father had not grown weaker or slower, but Zuko himself had improved.

Wiping the sweat off his forehead, Zuko closed in on the older man. While the firelord was gradually tiring out, his son's energy was fueled by determination. Zuko was determined to win. He was determined to overcome his father. He was determined to keep Katara alive.

Releasing all his frustration on his father, Zuko flipped over and aimed for his opponent's face. A final blast sent Ozai sprawling onto the floor. Panting heavily, Zuko wiped offa trickle of blood and looked over in Katara's direction. She stirred, opened her eyes, slowly sat up, and saw something that made her freeze. But, it wasn't Zuko.

Katara had seen her brother and Aang suspended from a thick chain attached to the ceiling. One end of the chain was wrapped around their wrists, making their arms dangle above their heads.

Zuko turned and saw the same sight, but before he had time to react, a voice called out for him. The firelord, although badly beaten, was still clean and fresh in his mind. He had lost the duel; everyone could see that, but he wasn't about to let his son win. Plastering a pitiful look on his face, the firelord began sweet talking his son and begged him to be merciful.

"Were **you** ever merciful?" Zuko spat angrily. He had no reason to help his father, but perhaps, all that time with Katara really had softened him. He began doubting whether or not he should have his father in a broken heap on the floor. Sighing, Zuko walked over the firelord and helped him on his feet. He gave his father a look of disgust and strutted away, enjoying the feeling of victory.

He looked over at Katara again to see her reaction. Once again, it wasn't a good one. She was now pointing frantically at a spot behind Zuko and he whirled around to meet a deadly flame. With no time to block a surprise (and cheating) attack, Zuko fell hard onto the floor.

His father smirked triumphantly as he looked over his son's torn body. The firelord knew he had done an unhonorable thing, but the urge to win had driven him almost to insanity. He couldn't stand the thought of this teenager beating him.

As Aang watched all this while still dangling, he felt a surge of anger build up inside him. Even though both the firelord and Zuko had no value to him, he couldn't stand to see Katara in such a mess. The avatar had never seen his waterbending friend cry so much. The last time she'd even cried was when he'd accidentally burned her with fire bending. (remember? It was one of the episodes on tv!)

The chain suspending Aang to the ceiling began rattling as the avatar felt a strong energy from inside him. He really cared about Katara and the firelord had hurt her by hurting Zuko. Aang felt the chains give away and he floated to the floor. Without a second thought, the firelord tried to attack him. Aang waved his arms a little and a gust of wind pushed back the attack,

"You think you can fight me?" the firelord thundered.

"I don't want to fight you, I want to kill you", Aang answered in a threatening voice. The arrowed tattoos across his body began glowing a bright blue and a huge wind swept up around him. The audience, still sitting in their seats that were now mostly broken, watched in awe as the true avatar power came to life. Huge winds broke apart any walls that were left until everyone was exposed to the gorgeous sunset that was now taking place.

Katara backed away quicklyas the chains holding Sokka broke. The teenager fell to the floor and scrambled to his sister's side, trying his best to protect her. They both watched as the winds revolving around Aang became fiercer. The avatar's tattoos grew brighter as his energy increased rapidly. Finally, a bright flash of light, brighter than the sun that had now set, erupted and everything became deadly silent.

No one dared to move or make noise; they were too stunned by what had happened. Katara broke the silence as her footsteps rang out through the arena. She rushed to Zuko's side and lifted his head into her arms. She ran a finger across his neck, checking for a pulse. Relieved that he was still alive, Katara calmed down a little and looked around. All eyes were now on her, and many people didn't know who she was. Slightly embarrassed, Katara looked down at the floor while still cradling her prince in her arms.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Zula groaned in frustration as she raked a hand through her tangled hair. She was currently sitting outside the healing room where her brother, his little girlfriend, and the avatar were resting. Across from her sat that water tribe warrior… what was his name? Sokka?

The fire princess shook her head as she reran what had just happened in the past hour to herself. Everything happened so fast, she barely had time to react. In fact, the events flew by so quickly she could barely remember them.

In her mind, she could still see blurred memories of watching her father and brother fight. She remembered vaguely how her brother had gotten so pissed off he actually won. Then, she remembered her father attacking back after being shown mercy. Then… what happened? Oh, yeah, then that little boy had blown up everything and when the dust cleared, he father was dead.

Zuko sighed and closed her eyes, ignoring the weird looks she received from Sokka. Her father was dead. The meant her brother was now the firelord, which meant she was pretty much screwed.

"Fuck. I have to get out of here", she thought.

"What?" Sokka snapped his head up.

"Did I say that out loud?" Zula asked, blushing a little. Sokka shrugged and returned to staring at the floor. He was still lost in his own thoughts and didn't notice the fire princess walking away.

Zula entered the healing room and approached the bed Zuko was lying one. His eyes were closed and every once in a while, the teen would have pained expression on his face. On a chair right next to the bed sat a fidgeting Katara. She looked up at the red-haired girl without emotion, then quickly looked away.

"Who are you?" Zula asked, pulling up another chair. She sat on the other side of Zuko and tried to make conversation w/ the waterbender, hoping to get on her good side.

"I'm Katara".

"How do you know my brother?"

"I- He chased the avatar half way around the world, and I traveled with the avatar", Katara responded.

"Then shouldn't you guys be enemies?" Zula raised an eyebrow.

"Things happened", Katara didn't really feel like explaining. As far as she knew, this girl had been pretty mean to Zuko. But, what if that had been the fire lord's fault too? Katara decided she would talk to Zula and try to befriend her. Maybe she was different. Maybe she'd turn out to be like Zuko. As if trying to prove Katara right, Zula began speaking in a gently tone.

"You know, I think my brother really likes you", she said softly.

"Why?"

"I saw the look on his face when he saw you unconscious. My father summoned you so he could put a binding spell between you and Zuko. If he lost, you'd lose too. It's very old magic, which means it's also very powerful. Even now, your life forces are intertwined. But for the spell to work, well, it proved Zuko really cares", Zula had a faint smiled on her face.

"I'm his weakness. I can only hurt him if he cares too much", Katara said thoughtfully.

"I didn't mean it like that. I just kind of wanted to warn you", Zula explained.

"Warn me? What do you mean?"

"I mean… Katara, what do you see me as? I was made into a ruthless person by my father. When I saw the way Zuko comforted you when we were on the beach, I became… well, I started thinking differently. Any ways, I didn't really want to hurt you, so I tried to give you hints", Zula shrugged.

"You're just like Zuko; changed by you father", Katara murmured.

"Zuko talked to you about his childhood? That's pretty rare. Which proves once again he really likes - "

"Hey, shut up", Zuko had just awoken and quickly made his presence known. Katara broke into a grin and hugged him, burying her face into his chest. A feeling of warmth and safety came over her and she felt like she never wanted to leave this comfort zone.

"You know, there are still other people here", Zula remarked dryly, causing the couple to break apart. Katara smiled shyly and began playing with the edge of her torn dress.

"What happened?" Zuko asked as he sat up slowly.

"Well, father is dead. After you helped him up, he attacked you and you became unconscious. The avatar killed him", Zula replied.

"What?" Zuko found this hard to believe and turned to Katara for assurance. She gave him just that.

"You know, that means you're now the fire lord", Zula sighed. Katara turned her eye towards the girl, then quickly looked at Zuko. She'd never thought of things this way. Zuko would be some kind of… king? That just felt all too strange.

"What about you?" Zuko asked his sister.

"I'd fight you for the throne, but that would be stupid. Especially since I saw what you did to father. Besides, you pretty much hate me now. There isn't much for me to do here", Zula shrugged.

"I'm not going to kick you out, if that's what you mean. Doing so would make me the same as father. I'm not him", Zuko replied with a hint of bitterness in his voice. Zula smiled weakly at her brother, unsure of what to say. After taunting him for years by being the better firebender, she was surprised he was being so decent to her. Maybe that water girl really changed him.

The three teens fell into a thoughtful silence as they started off into space, each thinking about what the future would bring. The peaceful quietness was shattered by a soft 'thunk' that caused all three to turn their heads in the same direction. Aang had been rolling around while asleep on a bed and his fall woke him up. The avatar crawled to his feet tiredly and leaned on the bed for support. He was feeling kind of woozy.

"Aang! You're alright!" Katara called out happily as she jumped out of her seat to hug her friend. They embraced each other warmly and Zuko felt a surge of jealousy strike him. What was he thinking? This little kid was 12-years-old! He probably didn't even have feelings yet. Sensing her brothers discomfort, Zula turned to Zuko and gave him a knowing smirk. He glared back at her, but didn't say anything.

Katara let go of Aang and left the room to fetch Sokka. She wanted everyone together to discuss several important topics. She could only hope that any arguments didn't turn into battles.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

The stars twinkled merrily overhead and a cool breeze swept through the courtyard, relieving Katara momentarily from the warm fire nation weather. She tilted her head to look up at the stars and hugged her knees to her chest. Beside her, Zula sat in a similar position while twirling her long hair around her fingers.

After the five teens (although Aang isn't really a "teen", but whatever) had discussed everything and come to several conclusions and agreements, everyone had gone their own way. Zuko had returned to his old room in the palace to rest and Sokka and Aang were shown their rooms by a servant. Zula had requested that Katara go take a walk with her to talk and now, here they were, sitting in the large courtyard in front of the palace.

The two girls had talked endlessly late into the night and quickly became friends. Their not-so-good first impressions of each other disappeared as the time passed by. Now, both girls were worn out and kept to herself, thinking quietly while sitting under the moonlight.

Katara finally had time to think about everything that had happened since she first arrived on Zuko's ship. She decided that things weren't really as bad she thought. She'd once been terrified of Zuko, but soon found herself falling for him. Then, she'd been worried about what Sokka and Aang would say, but they really didn't say much. In fact, Katara had been slightly disappointed that her relationship with Zuko didn't have much effect on anyone. Maybe it wasn't all that obvious

Next, Katara had worried about the firelord and his supposedly prized daughter, whom she found out was pretty much in the same position as Zuko. In fact, Zula had told Katara she never felt favored even though she was a "fire-bending prodigy". Sure, she had been great and was blessed with great skills, but she was also cursed with intense training and harsh discipline. Katara soon found herself feeling sorry for the girl beside her.

Minutes ticked by and Katara began thinking about the future. The official crowning ceremony was to take place in a week, after order had been restored. In a week, Zuko would rightfully take his father's place. Katara smiled a little at this thought. She knew that after all the time Zuko spent chasing after the avatar, his goal had been to claim the throne. And now, he would finally achieve what he'd been working for.

But, what would happen to Katara? Was she supposed to stay here with Zuko? She wanted to, she really did, but would he want her by his side forever too? And what about Aang and Sokka? During the discussion, both males had agreed to stay with Katara in the fire nation, and Zuko had agreed too. But, Katara was afraid people would change. She feared that things may fall apart in the future.

Katara was brought back to reality by Zula, who was gently shaking her shoulder. "Hey, we should get some rest", she suggested. The moon was directly overhead now, signaling the fact that it was around midnight.

Katara should have been tired at this hour, but she knew the moon fueled her energy. Still, she decided going to bed couldn't hurt. Silently, Katara stood up and followed Zula into the palace where she was shown to a room. A maid had laid out several articles of clothing and other small necessities across a table and Katara thanked her graciously.

As she settled into Bed, Katara began thinking about the rest of her life. Despite all the troubles she'd faced in the past and all the bumps she would hit in the future, she knew her life couldn't get better than this.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

I really hope you like it. I think there's going to be one more chapter after this, then an epilogue to wrap things up. oh, and please, please, please review! I know some people read fanfics, but never review, but those reviews mean so much to me! so review, ok?


	9. The crowning ceremony

Here's some FYI's that you should read… just because I said so:

1. I try to make the story make sense with the avatar show on tv, so there's going to be references of things that happened in various episodes. If you have no idea what I'm talking about because you haven't seen that episode… then I'm sorry. But I'm still leaving them in here.

2. uh…oh yeah! I jacked the beginning of Zuko's speech from this speech the general zhao made in one of the episode… so… credit goes to whoever made avatar.

3. which reminds me… here's the disclaimer : I don't own anything. Except a computer which I'm currently typing on XD

Oh, and one last thing… this was the HARDEST chapter ever for me to write! I've rewritten it soooo many times… and yet, I'm still not all that satisfied.

CHAPTER NINE – THE CROWNING CEREMONY

A week rushed by and before she knew it, Katara was standing in front of millions of people, dressed in a stunning dark blue and white laced dress. There were baby blue ribbons running down the middle and the entire outfit was custom designed to fit Katara. Her hair was piled on her head with a few loose curls running across her chest.

Beside her stood Zuko, who was outfitted proudly in the traditional firelord costume. He stood in front of the crowd, more than ready to make his speech before accepting the crown from Iroh.

On the other side of Zuko was his sister, who fidgeted occasionally as she looked out at all the faces. She was wearing a long, elegant dress that complimented her petite frame. The red, velvety material matched her hair that was loosely piled down her back. She wore a faint smile on her face that held no trace of happiness.

Katara noticed the solemn girl and made a mental note to talk to her later. She knew how much Zula wanted the crown, but she had been born second. Katara knew this feeling; she had been second to Sokka.

The sound of a gong rang out from the back of the room, echoing until it reached the front. Immediately, the entire crowd went silent and even the slightest noises could be heard. Zuko stepped forward and took a deep breath.

"We are the sons and daughters of fire, the superior element. As a nation, we stand united and strong, but war has torn our country apart. I stand here, as the future fire lord, to announce an end to all fighting and suffering. During my time as an exile, I matured in both body and mind. I realized that the war my father started was for his own selfish purposes. He used propaganda to turn the fire nation against the rest of the world, making us believe everyone else to be inferior. This had been proven false to me, and will soon be proven false to you as well.

"Beside me stands a waterbender from the southern water tribe. She traveled with the avatar to the other side of the world while facing life threatening dangers. Today, she stands here, unguarded by her people. That is true courage; there is no other definition for the word. Would you say she is inferior because she isn't from the fire nation?"

The crowd responded a loud "no" and Zuko continued, satisfied with the reaction, "I know my father has put a lot into your minds, and it won't be easy to adjust to the new situation. As your new ruler, I ask of only one thing: do now see me as my father; I am not him".

The audience broke into cheers and yells of encouragement as Zuko stepped back so he was in line with Katara and his sister. He waited silently as Iroh came forward with the crown and placed it on the prince (or king)'s head. It was truly a Kodak moment… (except they didn't have cameras back then).

Katara broke into a big smile and she felt her heart flutter. Seeing Zuko smile a genuine smile brought her joy. After all, he rarely showed any emotions at all. They stood on the platform for a while more, watching the crowd slowly disperse. They all filed into a larger room next door where a big celebration feast would take place.

Katara, unsure of what to do, looked around for someone to give her orders. But no one did. No one was allowed to. During the past week, Zuko had made it painfully clear that Katara was now holding a pretty powerful position in the fire nation. He also reluctantly made sure Sokka was treated well, although he greatly disliked the water tribe warrior. Sokka's overprotective-ness of Katara caused many arguments and fights between him and Zuko. In the end, Katara always had to step in before someone got hurt.

Aang, on the other hand, had turned into a celebrity in the fire nation. Not only was he the avatar, but he had ended the war by getting rid of the firelord. This time thought, Aang managed to stay humble instead of losing his head (like that time… well, it was on tv).

After the room had been cleared of the audience, Zuko took Katara's hand, leading her into the feast room. Iroh followed merrily, making sure Zula wasn't left behind. They all joined the party, mixing in with everyone else. Zuko had refused to sit at a higher table like his father would have done. He didn't fell it was necessary to boast his power.

As Katara walked through the crowd, politely greeting anyone who greeted her, she noticed Zula leaving the room. Slightly worried, she followed the girl until they were both alone in a hallway. Katara caught up to her and took this chance to confront her.

"Where are you going?" she asked. Zula shook her head and continued walking, quickening her pace as well.

"Wait! You can't just run off like that!" Katara called out, hurrying after Zula. She caught up with the girl just as they stopped in front of a pair of large doors. Katara followed Zula inside and realized this was the princess's private quarters. It was beautifully decorated, but something was wrong. The room was almost empty; not empty as in no one moved it, but empty as in no one planned to use it anymore. All the usual furniture rested in its place and the walls were still decorated with scrolls. The bed had pillows and blankets and there were useable candles sitting on a table. But there was definitely something wrong. The closet door sat open; half the clothes taken and piled into a traveling trunk. Armor and weapons lay in a pile, ready to be moved out.

"You're leaving?" Katara asked, looking around.

"Yes", Zula sighed.

"Why?"

"I have no life here. I used to live on the fantasy that I would one day rule the country, but that's obviously not going to happen. My father taught me not to be bitter and to make the best out of any situation. He should have followed his own advice, huh?" Zula remarked with a dry laugh.

"But, where are you going? Aren't you coming back?" Katara asked.

"I want to see the world. And don't worry; of course I'll come back. I'm still a princess here, you know? Besides, Zuko's seen the world, it's my turn".

"Zuko was banished! He had no choice! Traveling is dangerous. Do you think he **wanted **to be out there?" Katara protested.

"Don't worry about me; the war is over and my uncle is coming too. I'm a trained firebender, remember? As for Zuko, I'm sure he doesn't regret his banishment. He **did** meet you", Zula pointed out smugly, receiving a small smile from Katara.

"Iroh's going too?"

"Yes, apparently, he wants to shop in every port of the world and try different types of tea", Zula grinned. Katara smiled sadly and gave the girl a hug, wishing her a safe trip.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Back at the celebration feast, Zuko had lost track of Katara and was growing anxious as the time passed by. Where the hell did she go? He wandered through the crowds, searching almost frantically for her. A few minutes later, he noticed his sister was also missing and conclusions began forming in his mind.

He quickly left the room and hurried down a corridor, making his way to Zula's room. The door was slightly ajar and two distinct feminine voices flowed into the hall. Zuko breathed a sigh of relief and entered the room to see Katara and Zula, the two most influential females in his life, giving each other what looked like a good-bye hug.

Zula, who was facing the door, caught her brother's eye and looked at him disappointedly. She let go of Katara and pointed out that they now had an intruder.

"You looked worried", Katara noticed, stepping over to Zuko.

"Of course I was worried! You just disappeared!" he scolded.

"What? Do I have to be seen by you every second of my life?"" Katara challenged. Zula laughed at this comment, reminding the couple they were not alone. Zuko shot his sister a glare and dragged Katara out of the room and into the hallway. He forcefully ushered her into the nearest empty room and locked the door behind him.

"What's wrong with you?" Katara demanded.

"You", Zuko almost whispered as he sandwiched Katara between the wall and his own body.

"Excuse me?" Katara wasn't sure she heard right.

"I said 'you'. Do you know what I was going through when I saw you unconscious a week ago? I was thinking, 'If something happens to her, I'll never forgive myself'", Zuko replied as he gently wrapped his arms around Katara, crushing her soft body against his hard, muscular one.

"Why didn't you tell me? I've spent an entire week here and we haven't really talked", Katara whispered back.

"We haven't gotten the chance to do anything. Apparently, you found my sister a lot more interesting", Zuko mocked jealousy. Katara laughed openly in his arms and leaned her head on his shoulder, shivering slightly when she felt his hot breath against her sensitive neck.

"Well, we have plenty of time now", she murmured suggestively, surprised at her own boldness. Zuko smirked and leaned forward, giving her the most passionate kiss Katara had ever experienced. She responded eagerly, battling her tongue against his.

When they finally broke apart for air, Katara's face was flushed from excitement and she could feel the ecstasy rising in her body. Apparently, so could Zuko, for as soon as they broke apart, they were kissing again.

"I have an idea", Zuko suddenly said as he pulled Katara out of the room.

"Wait! You're supposed to tell me! You can't just drag me around – mmph" Katara's protests were broken off when she rammed into something. Zuko had been going too fast and the couple had no time to stop before crashing into an obstacle; Sokka.

"What do you want?" Zuko asked impatiently.

"I want to know what you were planning to do to my sister", Sokka replied firmly.

"We were just going to try on a dress someone had given her", Zuko rolled his eyes, acting as if running around with Katara was the most normal thing in the world.

"What? Oh, no. No, no, no", Katara argued when she realized what Zuko was talking about. That dress; the one that tall lady had given her. No, she was **not **going to wear it. Maybe if she ever got married, but definitely not now.

"See? She doesn't want to", Sokka said smugly.

"You just have to mess up everyone's life, don't you?" Zuko sneered.

"Me? My sister and I were living a perfectly fine life until **you **tried to kills us!" Sokka yelled back.

"I'd **still **like to kill you", Zuko muttered under his breath.

"I heard that! And I'd like to see you try!" Sokka challenged, knowing he wouldn't really be attacked. Sensing a fight about to begin, Katara pushed apart the two males and stepped in between them.

"You guys! Stop it! Look, Zuko, maybe Sokka and I should have a little talk. I'll see you later, ok?" she tried to sound reasonable. Zuko grudgingly agreed and walked away stiffly, pausing every few steps to turn and look at Katara again. When he had completely disappeared from view, Katara turned to Sokka with a glare.

"I don't know what you see in him", Sokka shrugged.

"Sokka, I don't need this right now. I don't need your sarcastic comments and cruel jokes. I just need you to be sensitive and supportive", Katara sighed.

"Fine. I'll be serious. Honestly, I still don't know what you see in him. Think about it, Katara. He's tried to kill us many, many times!"

"Can't you put the past behind? He didn't mean it! Why can't you just accept the fact that I like him and he likes me?" Katara asked, frustrated.

"It's just so weird!" Sokka frowned.

"Sokka, listen. The war is over. We are all just people. Zuko isn't too different fro you, you know that?" Katara said calmly, trying to talk some sense into her brother.

"Fine. But if he ever hurts you -"

"I'll let you know", Katara finished. Sokka, seemingly satisfied, gave his sister a hug and walked away, searching for more food even though he just ate lunch.

Katara smiled to herself, proud at how she had handled the situation. With nothing better to do, she went in search of Zuko. The waterbender set off for the celebration feast, hoping Zuko had returned to the festivities. And indeed, he was there, sitting at a table among several other firebenders. Katara could see that by now, only half the people remained. The rest had gone home or back to work. She made her way over to Zuko and lightly tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey, what'd you say to you brother?" he greeted her.

"Just to… give us a chance", Katara told him as they both started walking away from the table.

"Oh", Zuko fell into an awkward silence. He had ever been in a relationship and everything was completely new. As of how, he hated not knowing what to do or say. It would have made him feel better to know that Katara was going through the same thing, but he didn't know.

The couple walked silently, side by side, until they reached the front of the palace. The gates were let down and there seemed to be a lot of activity going on.

"What's happening?" Zuko asked, glancing around. Katara, too, was wondering what was going on, but she soon got her answer. She recognized Zula and Iroh walking several paces in front of them, preparing to board a rhino. A second rhino behind the first was already loaded with traveling necessities. Katara pointed this out to Zuko, who promptly grabbed her hand and began pulling her towards his sister.

"Where are you going?" Zuko demanded when he was within earshot of Zula.

"I'm going wherever you went", came the nonchalant reply.

"What?" Zuko narrowed his eyes. Zula sighed and pulled her brother aside for a private chat, leaving Katara alone with Iroh.

"Do you know when you'll be returning?" Katara asked him anxiously.

"I'm not sure, but I wouldn't worry about it", Iroh chuckled.

"Well, I hope you have a safe journey", Katara wished him luck. Iroh smiled back at the girl just as Zula returned with her brother walking slowly behind her, apparently deep in thought.

"C'mon, let's go", she ordered, climbing on the rhino. Iroh nodded and pulled on the reins.

"Hey, wanna ride one?" Zuko asked Katara, who nodded enthusiastically. She was helped onto the nearest one and Zuko climbed up behind her, wrapping the girl safely in his arms. They took the same path as the rhinos before them, following Zula and Iroh down towards the ship.

The train of rhinos arrived at a wooden dock; the same one Zula had set out on over two weeks ago. It was amazing how so much could take place in so little time. As she boarded the ship, the princess looked back at her homeland. She could see the palace standing tall and proud even after part of it had been wrecked by the duel a week ago. This was the place she'd grown up in, even if it wasn't exactly a pleasant childhood she had experienced.

And now, she was leaving. She certainly planned on returning one day, but knew it wouldn't be soon.

A trail of smoke appeared from the top of the ship, signaling that it was now in motion. Zula walked into the cabins after Iroh, not wanting to see her home grow smaller as it faded into the distance.

Back on shore, Zuko and Katara had gotten off the rhino. They stood, fingers laced, watching the large ship sail away. Zuko unconsciously tightened his grip as his sister's words fame flooding back at him. The more he thought about it, the truer her words seemed. Man, when did his sister become a philosopher? But, there was no doubt that her words were worth considering.

And so, with pieces of Zula's advice and suggestions as well as his own feelings swirling around in his head, Zuko made up his mind. He wasn't going to pass up this chance.

"I won't let the same thing happen to me", he thought aloud.

"What?" Katara turned and gave Zuko a quizzical look.

"I - " Zuko paused, did he accidentally blurt that out?

"What is it?" Katara seemed slightly concerned.

"Nothing, it's nothing, ok?" Zuko wasn't ready to say anything yet, so he tried to end the conversation by sounding annoyed.

"If there's something wrong, why can't you tell me?" Katara asked.

"Because it concerns you. And me. And… us",

"Which is why it's so important that we have real talks. I like you a lot, but I'm not a mind reader, so how can I help make this relationship work if I have no clue what you're thinking?"

"I think I'm hopelessly in love with you but am afraid to admit it for fear of rejection", Zuko mumbled, slurring his words together. But, it was clear enough for Katara to understand. It took a second for the words to register and when they did, Katara's mouth fell into a round "o". Was he serious?

"I was feeling the same way", she admitted.

"No. You don't understand. I really, really mean it. I want you to never leave here. Stay. Forever. You see what happened to Zula? She left because she had nothing left here. If you leave, I'll have nothing left. Not even all the honor in the world could replace you".

"Is that what she was talking to you about?" Katara asked. Zuko nodded.

"I would never leave. I love you as much as you love me, understand?" she asked, giving his hand a tight squeeze. He nodded again and pulled her into a hug in one swift motion. Oh, he understood alright.

"You're mine from now on", he murmured. And as much as Katara hated to be thought of as a possession someone could own, she was glad she belonged to Zuko. For even thought he had become firelord, the talented firebender in front of her would be her prince forever.

El Fin

A/N : this was seriously the hardest chapter I've ever written. I've rewritten it over and over and I took out parts and added new parts. I'm so glad its done. So, anyways, there's going to be an epilogue just to wrap everything up. Bye bye for now!


	10. Epilogue unanswered questions

So… this is the last entry for this story. I just wanna say that I'm so happy I got reviews! Really, review make me happy. And I hope everyone liked this story, because I liked it.

So… here goes

EPILOGUE – UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

Two years passed by peacefully in the lands of the fire nation. The economy flourished and the citizens were content under the rule or their firelord.

In the palace, life was satisfactory as well. Zuko had learned all the skills he needed to be a great leader and Katara had supported him all along the way. Sokka slowly began trusting Zuko with his sister and eventually started chasing after girls as well. Aang's celebrity status never ceased and he made many friends. Everything was flowing smoothly until one day, when a dark red fire navy ship docked on the shores of the fire nation.

Immediately, guards hurried to the dock to greet the travelers. They waited anxiously on the sandy beach, keeping both eyes glued to the door of the ship. Slowly, it creaked open to reveal Iroh stretching lazily as he walked across the dock. The guards, momentarily distracted by the arrival of the retired general, did not at first notice a second figure appearing from the ship. She walked confidently down the ramp, hips swaying, long red hair flowing in the wind. She was dressed in fresh armor, as if preparing for a battle. In one hand she carried a sword; the other hand was placed on her hips.

When the guards finally saw her, they whistled openly, believing her to be a young girl Iroh had picked up along the way. She narrowed her eyes at the vulgar gesture and strutted past the guards with a haughty manner.

When she reached the gates of the palace, a pair of soldiers stepped in her way, demanding a reason for her to be here.

"I can go in and out of here whenever I feel like it", she argued, attempting to push her way past the guards. They drew their swords, ready to attack if the girl tried to go any further. She growled and lunged at the nearest soldier, while yelling something about "ignorant guards" and "stupid brother".

The soldiers fought their best, but were no match for the trained girl. She scoffed at them as she walked past their unconscious forms and into the palace. More resistance was met and the girl grew furious. She looked at the ring of guards surrounding her and snorted, tossing her sword aside. They watched her silently, wondering what she was planning.

Before any of the guards could react, the girl began shooting fire out of her palms, attacking everything in her way. The soldiers jumped back in shock, surprised that this girl had such power. They were shocked, but not ready to give up. As more backup was called in, a fight erupted in the great hall of the palace.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Katara yawned sleepily and rested her head on the back of her chair, slumping down in her seat even more. This meeting, as important as it sounded, was dead boring. She glanced over at Zuko, who had a similar expression played out across his face. He absent mindedly twirled a pen in one hand, looking around the room at various objects. The current speaker at this conference was an old man who droned on and on for hours. Everyone had stopped paying attention long ago, yet he continued talking.

Katara suppressed an annoyed growl and sighed instead as she started doodling on a piece of paper in front of her. Her eyes started drooping and she was almost asleep when a loud explosion made everyone in the room jump.

Zuko hurried out of the room and Katara tore after him, eager to get out of the meeting. They ran towards the direction of the noise, followed by the rest of the people at the meeting. The sight that appeared before them was more exciting than anything that had happened in the past two years.

All across the floor lay guards who were badly hurt or knocked out. More guards replaced the injured ones, advancing towards the single target. She fought back with full force, showing no mercy to anyone. When Zuko caught a glimpse of the girl's face, he let out an audible gasp and ordered the guards to stand down. A hush fell over the room as the girl dusted herself off and looked up at Zuko.

"You're obviously having trouble training these pathetic guards", she greeted him with a smirk.

"They just can't keep up with a prodigy like yourself", he returned with a smirk of his own.

"Zula?" Katara suddenly blurted out when she recognized the girl. The guards turned to each other with horrified looks. This was Zula? As in, Princess Zula?

"I can't believe no one here recognized me", Zula scoffed, giving everyone an annoyed look. Katara squealed in delight and ran towards the princes, giving her a big bear hug. The firebender returned the gesture, then turned towards the guards who were still standing. They looked at her apologetically and she dismissed them with a wave of her hand.

Zuko stood motionless ashe watched this scene, his mind blurred and confused. He had barely recognized his sister, how could anyone else have? She had grown taller and was no longer a teenager. She still had the same piercing eyes, but there was a different aura around her. She seemed more poised, more sophisticated, more mature. And she'd gotten loads better at fire bending.

"Still standing around like an idiot, huh?" Zula asked as she walked past her brother. He growled and followed her, making sure Katara was with them as well. They made their way into Zula's room and were joined shortly by Iroh who presented several boxes of exotic tea. As they sipped the herbal drink, an exchange of stories began.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Many hours and dozens of cups of tea later, the firelord and his sister, uncle and girlfriend were each sitting in a large, comfy chair placed on four sides of a square table. Halfway during their conversation, they were graced by the presence of Sokka and Aang, who seemed surprised to see Zula. The two males each pulled up a chair and joined the little party. It was during this time that each member was filled in on what they didn't' know. It was also during this time that unanswered questions were finally answered.

Since the time Katara first arrived on the fire navy ship till now, there had been some things worth wondering. They were paid little attention because more important things had taken place, but they were still worth thinking about nevertheless. For example, who was that tall lady? And how did Sokka come up with such a great plan? What happened to Appa and Momo, and the most wondered question of all, where was Katara's necklace?

The longer they talked, the more was revealed. Apparently, the tall lady had been a childhood friend of Iroh's who left the fire nation to work in a port with the rest of her family. She had continued the family business after her parents passed away. Iroh kept in touch with her through the years, but they never had anything more than friendship. And if they were ever more than friends, it was a sister/brother relationship.

Speaking of which, it was the same sister/brother relationship that gave Sokka a sudden brain blast. As a child, he had always been protective or Katara. His brotherly instincts had kicked in and a plan to escape had developed in his mind just like that. He had remembered Appa mostly because he was the one who urged the flying bison to escape.

And now, what happened to Appa and Momo, who was riding on Appa at the time? After the two animals had been shot down, they were ordered to be captured by Lord Ozai. It wasn't until Zuko was crowned that the two were released and given a place to stay. They now lived peacefully in a large, grassy plain near the palace set aside especially for them.

And so, when the stories were exchanged, everyone nodded and their eyes lit up as if finally understanding something. It was now late afternoon and Zula announced she was tired. The party dispersed and everyone went off to do their own thing. Zula stayed in her room to rest and Iroh returned to his own room. Sokka and Aang went off to visit Appa and Momo, and Zuko led Katara into the courtyard.

They sat on a bench under a row of trees, all of which was standing on a raised platform. Below them was the city and beyond that was the ocean. As the sun began its daily descent, the last unanswered question was revealed.

During her stay at the fir nation, Katara had forgotten all about her mother's necklace. She hadn't given it a second thought because there had been so many things going on around her. With little time to sit there and reflect on her life, the idea of her necklace had disappeared.

As of now, it was still in Zuko's possession. In his pocket, to be exact. After Iroh had fixed the straps, Zuko had taken the necklace and kept it with him, never leaving it unattended. It soon became a habit and he began seeing the necklace as his own possession. It wasn't until old times were brought up that he remembered it belonged to Katara.

He wanted to return it to her, since he'd be stealing if he didn't, but he decided to keep it a while longer. There was something he needed to use it for. Besides, what would Katara say if he just randomly pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to her? With these thoughts in mind, Zuko excused himself and hurried into the palace.

Katara sat silently by herself on the cold stone bench as she looked out at the vast ocean. She slowly stood up and walked towards the railing, gently gripping the metal frame. A cool wind swept across the air and this reminded her of flying. She had done it once at the Northern Air temple and that had been an awesome experience. She wondered how to would feel to fly again, and made a mental note to ask Zuko about it later.

A few moments passed and the air began growing cold. The sun had set further, but had not yet disappeared, leaving a trail of purple clouds in the sky. A heavier wind blew towards her and this time, Katara shivered. She wrapped her arms around herself and glanced at the palace. Where was Zuko? He had told her to wait there for him, then darted away without another word. Katara paced back and forth and looked around nervously.

By now, the sun had almost disappeared completely. Yet, it seemed to stay in the sky as if waiting for something. Or someone. Katara shivered again before feeling a gentle tug. She turned around and saw Zuko with one hand hidden behind his back. The other hand was balled tightly into a fist, with something hidden in it.

"What is it?" Katara asked, her eyes lighting up with excitement. Zuko opened his fingers to reveal a slim brown strap with a glittering blue stone set in the middle. Intricate carvings of water symbols were carved in the stone, giving it detail and meaning.

"My necklace!" Katara gasped, reaching out to grab it. Zuko quickly closed his fist and jerked his arm away, receiving a pout from Katara.

"Two conditions", he offered, dangling the necklace in front of him. Katara nodded, wondering what he had in mind. "One, you wear this", Zuko ordered, bringing forth the hand behind his back. Katara looked at the blue dress in his hands and nodded again. It was the same dress she'd refused to wear two years ago. "And two", Zuko paused and gently put the necklace around Katara's neck, causing her to look at him with wondering eyes. His gaze met hers and he continued softly, "Marry me".

Without hesitation, Katara agreed and threw her arms around Zuko, tears filling her eyes.

"Why are you crying?" he asked, gently pulling back. Katara sniffed and smiled a little, explaining that they were tears of happiness.

"You should be smiling, you know? But, I guess someone like you would rather sit around and cry".

"**Someone** like me?"

"There **is **no one like you", Zuko rolled his eyes. And despite his attitude, he really meant it.


End file.
